ILO and J.P. Morgan launch new initiative to support women entrepreneurs in Thailand
The project will ensure women entrepreneurs have the right tools to recover sustainably from the COVID-19 crisis.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) and J.P. Morgan launched today a new initiative to support women entrepreneurs in Thailand as they look to recover from the pandemic and build long-term business resilience. The project, first announced last month, is open to women business owners in Malaysia and the Philippines as well.
The 18-month project, titled ‘Rebuilding Better: Fostering Business Resilience Post-COVID-19 ’, targets small businesses owned by women in the manufacturing, service and retail trade sectors in urban areas, all of which have been hard hit by COVID-19 restrictions and the economic downturn. The project will leverage digital tools to enhance women entrepreneurs’ access to critical support services, such as financial resources, training, market information and networks.
The launch of the project in Thailand was marked by a virtual forum that took place today, attended by the program’s strategic partners including representatives from the Ministry of Labour, the Employers' Confederation of Thailand, Bank of Thailand and The Federation of Business and Professional Women of Thailand (BPW Thailand). During the session, participants discussed initial findings of a project study conducted by the Rebuilding Better project during early months of implementation. It was clear from discussions that targeted support to help women entrepreneurs recover from the pandemic is key to inclusive economic growth and building resiliency in Thailand for the long term.
“The last year has been challenging for women entrepreneurs in Thailand as well as globally. During the still ongoing pandemic, women entrepreneurs have struggled to manage increased domestic responsibilities, with families working and studying at home, while also keeping their businesses afloat. It is vital that we work together for an equitable, gender-responsive and inclusive recovery”, said Graeme Buckley, Director of the ILO Decent Work Technical Support Team for East and Southeast Asia and the Pacific, and Country Office for Thailand, Cambodia and Lao People's Democratic Republic, in his opening remarks.
“This collaboration with ILO is a testament to J.P. Morgan’s commitment in supporting efforts that promote inclusive and equitable access in the countries in which we operate. Now more than ever, businesses have a responsibility to step up to help solve pressing challenges around the world. Women play a critical role in economic growth, and we want to help female entrepreneurs recover from the impact caused by COVID-19 and pivot towards sustainable business models,” said Marco Sucharitkul, Managing Director of J.P. Morgan Thailand.
