1. THE IRAQI WOMEN ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT PROJECT

1.1 Context: Women Entrepreneurship in Iraq

Iraq has experienced significant challenges over the past two decades due to waves of conflict and violence.

The 2003 invasion led to a regime change, economic turmoil, and power struggles among various armed  groups, including the rise and fall of the Islamic State. Despite ongoing localised violence, Iraq is currently  experiencing its most stable period since 2003.

Iraq's economy heavily relies on the oil sector, which accounts for over 99% of exports and 85% of government  revenue. This dependency makes the economy highly vulnerable to oil price fluctuations. Public employment is  saturated, with the government as the largest employer, and unemployment remains high, particularly among  women, the youth and displaced populations.

Entrepreneurship in Iraq is largely informal, with very little support from the financial sector. Doing business is challenging due to insufficient financial resources and complex processes. Informal activities dominate, with  68% of the labor force engaged in informal work, and most MSMEs (Micro, Small, and Medium-sized
Enterprises) are informal.

Women's participation in the business world is significantly low, often working alongside their spouse or a family member. They face major challenges, including limited access to financing and cultural barriers, on top of generally lower levels of education. It is estimated that women own only 5% of very small businesses and none
of the medium-sized enterprises.

Empowering women entrepreneurs in Iraq is crucial for socio-economic development and stability. Enhancing women's access to education, vocational training, financial resources, and supportive policies can drive economic growth, reduce poverty, and foster social cohesion. Successful women entrepreneurs act as role models, inspiring other women and contributing to the broader economic recovery and development of Iraq.

By fostering a conducive environment for women entrepreneurs, Iraq can leverage the untapped potential of half its population, leading to more inclusive and sustainable development.

1.2 The Iraqi Women Economic Empowerment project

The general objective of the project is to contribute to the economic empowerment of women in Iraq, and thus improving women's livelihoods by increasing their financial resources, by fostering the development and creation of businesses run by them. The project, funded by the French Development Agency (AFD) with a total
budget of 10 million euros, started at the end of January 2024 and will run for a duration of 36 months. It is implemented by Expertise France, a subsidiary of AFD Group. The majority of the funds will be directly managed by the Iraqi Civil Society Organizations (CSO) partners of the project in several Iraqi governorates. The
structures will be selected through calls for proposals published during the project inception period.

The project has 3 components:

• Component 1. Support women entrepreneurial ecosystem structuration.

• Component 2. Support the creation of micro-businesses run by women in Iraq.

• Component 3. Support the development of existing companies run by women in Iraq.

The project will be implemented over a 36-months period (3 years minimum), starting from January 2024.

1.3 About the Team France:

The French Development Agency (AFD)

The French Development Agency (AFD) is a key player in promoting sustainable development and combating poverty globally. As France's primary agency for development and international solidarity, it supports projects aimed at climate action, economic growth and social equality, including the improvement of women's condition.

Partnering with governments and various organizations, the AFD's efforts contribute significantly to achieving sustainable development goals, demonstrating the impact of strategic financial support and collaboration in driving global progress. As the funder of this project, the agency is strongly involved in the development of the
private sector and the support of women entrepreneurship in Iraq.

Expertise France

Expertise France is France’s public agency and inter-ministerial actor in charge of international technical cooperation, the second largest in Europe. As a subsidiary of the AFD Group, it designs and implements projects that sustainably strengthen public policies in developing and emerging countries. Expertise France works in key
areas of development: governance, economy, security, climate change, health, education and more. Alongside its partners, it contributes to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

French embassy in Iraq

The French embassy in Iraq (political section, cultural and cooperation section) ensures to highlight and operationalise France’s priorities in all areas of development, including women empowerment, education and governance. The embassy promotes coordination between relevant departments of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, development agencies and international stakeholders. Its communication section is also committed to promoting the outcomes of all projects implemented thanks to French public fundings.

2. CALL FOR PROPOSALS: SUPPORTING IRAQI WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS

2.1 Objectives of the call:

The general objective of the IWEE project is to contribute to the economic empowerment of women in Iraq, and thus improving women's livelihoods by increasing their access to financial resources.

This call for proposals seeks specifically to support Iraqi women entrepreneurs through grants to CSOs to support women's entrepreneurship.

Applicants can choose to apply under one or both of the following specific objectives:

1) Support the creation of micro-enterprises by women (ideation, creation and pre-seed stages): this includes assistance in developing essential and specific skills for entrepreneurs, such as soft skills, management, accounting and vocational training. Financial support will also be provided, through financial institutions or the CSO’s. The CSO’s are encouraged to propose innovative access to finance solutions.

2) Support existing businesses founded, owned and managed by women looking to grow their business (pre-acceleration/acceleration stage): this component aims to strengthen the capabilities of existing female-led enterprises. Here also, the component will consist of technical support for women entrepreneurs as well as the CSO’s are encouraged to propose innovative access to finance solutions.

Applicants can also choose to address both specific objectives.

All the projects are also expected to contribute to strengthen the women entrepreneurial ecosystem in Iraq.

The IWEE project will provide capacity-building activities for ecosystem actors, promoting the development of networks, organizing study visits abroad for the CSOs and communication activities. It also includes awareness raising actions, such as promoting women entrepreneurs’ success stories, to encourage vocations among
potential local women entrepreneurs and to sensitize their entourage and community.

For comprehensive details regarding the application process and accompanying annexes, including submission instructions, please refer to the following link, which grants access to the complete set of application documents: https://www.marches-publics.gouv.fr/app.php/entreprise/consultation/2670424?orgAcronyme=s2d 

Tender's Files

676018b96f080-place-user-guide-for-companies.pdf (Uploaded on 2024/12/16)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jpRoVaeahlI-nxjkqjONGPoL3ckKL3D-/view?usp=sharing (Video shared on 2024/12/16)