CABEI and TaiwanICDF promote growth of Guatemalan businesswomen

Guatemala City, Guatemala, November 20, 2024.- The Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) and the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF) have taken a significant step toward empowering women entrepreneurs in Guatemala. Through a market study, both institutions have identified the main barriers that women-led micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) face in accessing financing through Intermediary Financial Institutions (IFIs).

The advances in the results of this research, presented today at an event that brought together leaders from the financial sector, government and international cooperation agencies, reveal the need to develop more inclusive and accessible financial products and services for Guatemalan businesswomen.

In order to overcome these barriers, CABEI and TaiwanICDF will work together with Guatemalan financial institutions to design a gender-sensitive financial program, which they hope to implement by 2025. The design will be tailored to the specific needs of women in business and each of the financial institutions, enabling more women to access credit and technical assistance, boosting the growth of their businesses and contributing to the country's economic development.

By strengthening women's business fabric, this effort seeks to promote gender equality and generate employment opportunities. With this initiative, CABEI and TaiwanICDF reaffirm their commitment to support women entrepreneurs and build a more equitable and prosperous future for the region.

Al fortalecer el tejido empresarial femenino, este esfuerzo busca fomentar la igualdad de género y generar oportunidades de empleo. Con esta iniciativa, el BCIE y el TaiwanICDF reafirman su compromiso de apoyar a las mujeres emprendedoras y de construir un futuro más equitativo y próspero para la región.