Women’s Economic Empowerment in the Pacific Region: A Comprehensive Analysis of Existing Research and Data

This publication and accompanying summary materials highlight key messages from current research and data on women’s economic empowerment in Pacific island countries.

The analysis focuses on entrepreneurship and on micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises owned by women. Drawing on over 200 published papers and studies and 11 quantitative datasets, it looks at what fosters and what hinders women’s economic empowerment in the Pacific. It considers business ownership, formalization, and expansion; violence against women and girls; and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The materials include recommendations for research, policy, and programming.