The initiative «Women’s Economic Empowerment and Climate Action (WEECA)» was created in collaboration between CETYS University, the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), and Amazon. Its objective is to encourage female entrepreneurship in Tijuana and foster gender equality in the private sector.

The international organization CIPE works globally to bolster democracy and cultivate competitive markets in challenging environments. Therefore, for two years, it has partnered with CETYS, focusing on actions to stimulate the establishment of women-led enterprises.

«Democracy will thrive when women are actively engaged in the economy. Therefore, collaborations among CIPE, Amazon, and CETYS will expand opportunities for women to engage actively, fostering greater economic growth,» said Dana Barringer, Program Officer for the Latin America and Caribbean division at CIPE.

Why the emphasis on cultivating female entrepreneurship? Dr. Karina Parra Elizalde, Dean of the School of Business Administration at CETYS University Tijuana Campus, highlights the disparity between men and women in business development. Often, women juggle multiple roles and opt for informal business structures to balance responsibilities typically not borne by men.

According to CONEVAL, in 2022, 24 million women lived in poverty, 1.6 million more than men in similar circumstances. This means that women are five times more likely than men to be excluded from the labor force (32% versus 7%). When incomes are affected, girls’ education is often the first thing families sacrifice. Unequal distribution of caregiving duties can impede women’s engagement in climate action and their ability to adapt to climate change impacts,» stated the CETYS academic.

Insights into WEECA
Lorena Santana Serrano, Project Coordinator of WEECA, outlined its objective to enhance climate resilience in micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises led by women, promoting climate action and gender equality in the private sector.

Collaborating with a team of 15 researchers from CETYS University, most of whom are affiliated with the National System of Researchers (SNI), WEECA has preliminarily identified barriers to women’s economic empowerment and participation, such as limited access to capital, technology, skills, and business resilience strategies amid climate change. Initiating qualitative research with interviews, focus groups, and training workshops, all with a gender perspective, researchers aim to conclude the analysis, present findings, and propose strategies empowering women leaders in urban agriculture, beekeeping, creative industries, and other ventures in marginalized urban communities, to promote gender equality and climate resilience. Additionally, researchers will be equipped to formulate public policies supporting women’s entrepreneurship and conduct workshops at CETYS tailored to female entrepreneurs.