Despite comprising half the population, women make up only 5.5 million of Egypt’s workforce, compared to 25.5 million men. Agriculture employs 57% of these women, leaving them exposed to climate risks, especially as the Nile Delta, one of the world’s most vulnerable regions to rising sea levels, faces intensifying threats.

To address these pressing challenges, the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) Advancing the Decent Work Agenda in North Africa (ADWA’) project has focused on gender-responsive approaches to climate resilience and economic empowerment.

Over the past week, ADWA’ convened key stakeholders, including the United Nations, development agencies, and donor Sida (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency), to discuss strategies for aligning climate action with gender equality.

A significant highlight was a two-day workshop designed to enhance skills in gender-responsive transitions, stressing women’s entrepreneurship development. The discussions centered on fostering environmentally sustainable economies while equipping women with the tools and knowledge needed to lead in green sectors.

Key Skills for a Just Transition

ADWA’s capacity-building efforts has shown the critical role of women entrepreneurs in driving green transitions. In 2024, the project’s Rapid Situational Analysis identified agriculture, renewable energy, and waste management as promising sectors for women-led enterprises. However, systemic barriers like limited access to finance and resources hinder their potential.

“Women entrepreneurs are central to just transitions,” said Sara Andersson, Technical Officer on Women’s Entrepreneurship Development at ILO Geneva. Through policies, institutional capacity building, and tools tailored for greener economies, we aim to create opportunities for women to lead in sustainable sectors, countries can ensure women is also part of the transition.

These skills include strategic financial management, navigating regulatory frameworks, and leveraging green technologies, all essential for building successful enterprises in emerging markets.

“The ILO’s global programme on women’s entrepreneurship takes a threefold approach: addressing policies, social attitudes and regulatory frameworks to ensure an enabling gender-responsiveness environment; institutional capacity building to promote private and public institutions that advocate and support women entrepreneurs; and providing tools and resources to help women thrive in greener, gender-responsive local economies,” Anderson added.

Addressing Climate and Workforce Challenges

Climate change exacerbates existing gender inequalities, particularly for women concentrated in vulnerable sectors like agriculture. Camilla Roman, Senior Technical Specialist for Just Transition at ILO Geneva, explained the workforce implications: “More than 71 % of the world’s workers are at risk of heat stress, and productivity drops by over 50 per cent when temperatures rise above 34 degrees Celsius,”

“To ensure that women are not left behind, bold policies are needed to balance work-life responsibilities and promote investment in the care economy,” added Emanuela Pozzan, Senior Gender Specialist at ILO Geneva. 

“This includes measures such as maternity protection, accessible childcare and caregivers support- all essential for promoting gender equality,” she said.

Building Institutional Capacities

ADWA’s work extends beyond skills development to systemic change, the organisation said. Over five years, it has trained nearly 1,700 judges, including Egypt’s largest group of female judges, on international labor standards. Initiatives have also promoted the formalisation of informal work, providing social protections that empower women.

“The project has been working in Egypt for five years, focusing on employment and ILS. It was essential for the project to address the intersection of climate change and gender,” said Valentina Verze, Enterprise Development Specialist.

By equipping women with critical skills and fostering systemic change, Egypt can advance toward a sustainable, gender-equal future, the organisation said.