The Business Women Forum (BWF) is a national non-profit association established in 2006, to help “strengthen the role of businesswomen as leaders in the Palestinian economy through advocacy, networking, and the provision of business services”. BWF has members, and beneficiaries from all the West Bank cities and Gaza.
Since its establishment, BWF’s relevance as a voice for women business owners and entrepreneurs within the Palestinian business community has increased substantially through designing and implementing a series of targeted interventions including:
Building the capacity of business women, women entrepreneurs and youth through the Business Development Services Center (BDC), the technical arm of BWF, providing tailored trainings, and workshops.
Encourage entrepreneurship through targeting young entrepreneurs to join a Business Plan Competition (BPC) for women-owned SME’s, Internship Program to qualify them for the labour market, and Role Model Program that has been organized in cooperation with schools and universities.
Advocate and promotion of women issues in the business sector through advocacy and drafting of concept papers and policy notes related to women entrepreneurs through the BWF Advocacy Unit, and organizing hundreds of workshops, seminars, and round table discussions in order to help them reach decision making positions.
Active participation in national teams for drafting relevant policies including: The National Team for Women Employment, The National Team for the National Export Strategy, and The Advisory Council for The Technical Education Policies.
Active and founding member of several national and regional forums such as: the General Assembly of The Palestinian Investment Fund (PIF), and the MENA Business Women Network (BWN).
A board of directors that include nine well-recognized Palestinian businesswomen governs the Forum. Qualified executive team headed by the Executive Director manages the programs and day-to-day operations. To ensure the highest transparency, and accountability standards, an external independent auditor and a legal advisor report to the BoD. In addition to a professional staff who are building their capacities to achieve all BWF desired objectives.
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