ICR Stories

In 2020, during consultations organised by Cap Business Océan Indien (CBOI), a regional business association covering six Indian Ocean countries and territories, stakeholders identified maritime connectivity – the extent to which islands and coastal states are linked to each other and to global markets by sea, through reliable routes, seaworthy vessels and efficient ports – […]

Industry accounts for nearly a quarter of Côte d’Ivoire’s GDP, yet the share of women working in this sector has nearly halved from just over 10% in 2013 to under 6% today. As women made gains in agriculture and services, they were being left behind in a sector that has helped make Côte d’Ivoire one […]

Coordinated institutional support services, tailored skills development, better data and finance with a gender lens can generate stable women exporters Across Africa and the Caribbean, women entrepreneurs are the backbone of many local economies—but too often they are held back by complex regulations, high costs, and fragmented support. Three recent Investment Climate Reform (ICR) Facility […]

For weeks, Rose, a trader, avoided crossing the border to the neighboring country to purchase business supplies after experiencing sexual harassment. The incident disrupted her business, caused her to lose regular clients, and reduced her family’s income. For several women in business, concerns about safety extend beyond the market premises or gate. Globally, 1 in […]

One question that has often been asked in certain Ugandan circles is why the creative arts have been overlooked by the government for so long, its potential largely untapped. For years, there’s been little progress on policies that could help lift the industry and turn it into an economic powerhouse for the Ugandan people.   […]

Development Finance institutions (DFIs) play a vital role in addressing market failures and delivering public policy objectives. They drive sustainable investment, fund infrastructure projects and fill financing gaps overlooked by the private sector. But what if the regulations that govern DFIs prevent them from funding clients they are supposed to serve? And how might the […]

What happens when a country reimagines its business environment to boost women’s economic empowerment?   A momentous shift is occurring in one of the smallest countries in the world: Tuvalu, a Pacific archipelago halfway between Australia and Hawaii that is home to just a little over 11,000 people.   Since gaining independence in 1978, the […]

On 27 May 2025, the year-long research project “Enhancing the evidence base for gender-transformative Business Environment Reforms in selected OACPS member states” concluded with a virtual event bringing together policymakers, researchers and practitioners. Around the world, governments are working to create reforms to empower women to fully participate in and drive economic growth. The logic […]

The momentum to embed Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles into the DNA of financial institutions has never been stronger. And nowhere is this more critical than in the world of development finance, where mission-driven institutions play a pivotal role in shaping sustainable futures. Recognizing the urgency—and the opportunity—the Investment Climate Reform (ICR) Facility, rolled […]

There are many reasons why a development finance institution (DFI) would want to conduct a gender assessment. For the Federated States of Micronesia Development Bank (FSMDB), the objectives included better serving women entrepreneurs and thereby growing its client base, formalising gender equality in policies and operations, and meeting the gender requirements of international funders such […]

Policymakers, private sector and civil society representatives from across the African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) regions are to meet online for a webinar in May. The focus? Exploring how legal and policy reforms can enhance women’s freedoms and unlock greater economic opportunities for them and building stronger and more resilient economies for all.   This […]

Gender champions are agents of change in development finance institutions (DFIs). They drive efforts to embed gender equality in the DNA of their organisations and promote inclusive lending practices to narrow funding gaps for women entrepreneurs. The ICR Facility, which advises DFIs in African, Caribbean, and Pacific countries on gender mainstreaming, has invited gender champions […]