On Wednesday, June 1, in Cabo Delgado province, President Daniel Chapo announced the launch of the Pro-Women Fund, a new financing mechanism designed to support women-led economic initiatives in all districts of the country, according to the Agência de Informação de Moçambique.
According to the agency, the announcement was made during a meeting with women from various sectors in the province, at which the head of state reaffirmed the government’s commitment to women’s economic empowerment. He explained that the new fund will operate along the lines of the Local Economic Development Fund (FDEL), prioritizing simplified access to credit. “We will create the Pro-Women Fund in all districts of the country to finance women’s projects,” he stated.
Daniel Chapo explained that the Pro-Women Fund’s main objective will be to finance small and medium-sized income-generating projects, enabling a greater number of women to access the capital needed to develop productive activities and expand their businesses.
The President of the Republic added that the new mechanism will follow the FDEL’s philosophy but will be specifically geared toward meeting the needs of women entrepreneurs. “We want access to be simple, without unnecessary red tape, so that more women can benefit from this financing,” he emphasized.
“We will establish the Pro-Women Fund in every district across the country to finance women’s projects.”
Daniel Chapo
The initiative complements the “Empodera” program, launched last year by the First Lady, and is part of the government’s strategy to promote financial inclusion, reduce poverty, and encourage women’s entrepreneurship throughout the country.
According to Daniel Chapo, the main requirement to benefit from the Pro-Women Fund is being a Mozambican woman, with the aim of eliminating barriers that, for years, have hindered many women entrepreneurs’ access to credit, especially in rural and peri-urban areas.
During the meeting, the head of state justified the creation of the fund by citing the government’s confidence in women’s management abilities. “Women have demonstrated competence in managing families, businesses, and also in public administration. That is why we believe this investment will yield positive results for the country’s development,” he stated.
The President also reiterated the need to strengthen women’s participation in decision-making bodies, advocating for greater gender balance in governance. “Whenever the President of the Republic is a man, we advocate that the prime minister be a woman,” he declared, noting that greater female representation will contribute to more inclusive governance and the strengthening of national development.
