Funding by the Australian government in 13 woman-owned and women-led small businesses in the Philippines has helped sustain 13 SMEs and 1.068 full-time quality jobs while also creating new economic opportunities via business growth. An initiative known as the Investing in Women launched the Macquarie Investing in Women RISE Fund to enable women SMEs to adapt and respond to various business opportunities during the pandemic. This Fund provided investments to 13 women-owned SMEs across urban and rural markets in the Philippines and helped sustain over 1,068 full-time quality jobs in the agriculture, tech, infrastructure, and other such sectors.


World Trade Board launches plan to empower SMEs through trade and finance
BY ZAWYA
- 15/11/23
MSMEs make up around 90% of businesses globally, but accounted for just 23% of applications for trade finance in 2020. Despite their low representation, these smaller firms made up 40% of rejected trade finance applications. This mismatch between demand for and supply of trade financing known as the trade finance gap, is growing rapidly - from an estimated $1.5 trillion in 2018 to $2 trillion in 2022, and shows no signs of slowing.