Jerusalem Women Entrepreneurs

“This is a pioneering project that will provide business incubation, access to capital and networking opportunities for women entrepreneurs in Jerusalem”

- Lucy Hayter, Enterprise Development Programme Manager

The employment market in Jerusalem is characterised by low rates of women’s participation in the labour force, particularly amongst Arab and Orthodox communities. In addition, women entrepreneurs are underserved in this area, with limited access to tailored business training and financial services, leaving a gap in the local market for new initiatives to promote women’s enterprise development and economic advancement.

Together with the Women’s Self-Worth Foundation, Economic Empowerment for Women (EEW) and Koret Israel Economic Development Funds (KIEDF), we have launched a new initiative in the Jerusalem region to support Jewish and Arab women entrepreneurs to develop and expand their enterprises through business incubation services, access to finance combined with business and technical services, and the development of a network for women entrepreneurs. EEW and KIEDF will bring their areas of expertise in these fields, thereby enabling women entrepreneurs to develop and expand independent income-generating activity and improve their economic situation.

This joint initiative will result in Jewish and Arab women entrepreneurs developing their confidence and capability through business training, incubation support and being better connected to more stable sources of finance in order to grow their businesses and improve the economic climate for their communities.

Jerusalem’s population is heterogeneous and highly polarised economically. High poverty exists side by side with wealthy populations.

Approximately 12% of households with children are without income, twice the national average.

Data shows that only 40% of women participate in the labour force in Jerusalem, compared to 63% of women in Tel Aviv and 57% of women overall in Israel.

94% of Jerusalem women work within the Municipality, and are therefore more likely to set up businesses closer to home. With support from our partners, women’s enterprise development has the potential to further economic growth and job creation in Jerusalem.

The average monthly salary in Jerusalem is over 15% less than the national average and the average monthly salary among men is 29% higher than the average women’s salary in Jerusalem. Entrepreneurship offers a vehicle for Jerusalem women to achieve greater equality in business and employment.

The Women’s Self-Worth Foundation was formed in 2009 and is a private charitable organisation. The primary mission of the Foundation is to provide grants to organisations that work towards the empowerment and advancement of women.

Economic Empowerment of Women (EEW) supplies low income women in Israel with the knowledge and tools to create their own small businesses as a means for gaining self-sufficiency and alleviating the cycle of poverty in which they live.

Koret Israel Economic Development Funds (KIEDF) programmes stimulate economic development and employment opportunity in the private sector in Israel through medium, small and micro enterprise development and increases socioeconomic advancement opportunities for low-income populations, mainly women, facing barriers to business training and financing on reasonable terms.