Economic Empowerment of Women

We work to remove the barriers that limit women’s participation in Pacific economies. 

Economies grow faster with women’s full participation. However, discriminatory laws, social norms, and customary practices, as well as low control over assets, low levels of support and a lack of awareness about how to start a business are limiting the ability of Pacific women to engage in business activities to the same extent as men.

Women are economically disadvantaged in the Pacific region. Discriminatory laws, social norms, and customary practices, alongside low control over assets, low levels of support, and a lack of awareness about how to start a business limit Pacific women’s ability to engage in business activities to the same extent as men.

PSDI’s Economic Empowerment of Women works to clear pathways for women to enter the formal economy, focusing on:

  • the creation of new businesses by women that generate economic activity in both urban centers and rural areas;
  • the expansion of the formal labor market;
  • increasing the representation of women in business leadership through the development of business leadership programs;
  • higher business productivity, on which long-term growth depends;
  • advocacy and research to improve understanding of the needs and challenges of women-owned businesses; and
  • improving inclusive access to retirement and financial products.


These considerations inform all of PSDI’s work in developing policy frameworks, introducing legal reforms, mainstreaming gender into all programs, and evaluating pilot programs.

Economic Empowerment of Women and COVID-19

For more information on PSDI's Economic Empowerment of Women focus area and COVID-19, click here.

Economic Empowerment of Women at a glance

2 Leadership Matters

reports published to benchmark and review women’s representation in business leadership.

More women on SOE boards

Female representation on SOE boards increased further by an average of 22% since 2018 in Fiji, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, and Samoa.

Women’s leadership programs

Delivered in Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Solomon Islands.

National Action Plan for Women’s Economic Empowerment

underway in Fiji.

Gender-Inclusive Private Sector Framework

Developed to assess the Pacific enabling environment, and assessments conducted in Fiji, Solomon Islands, and Tonga.

Informal Sector Reports

Published, focused on women’s roles, challenges, and opportunities in the informal sector.
Latest News
29 May 2025
Evaluation: Economic Empowerment of Women Focus Area Phase IV

An independent evaluation of the Economic Empowerment of Women (EEOW) focus area under PSDI Phase IV.

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19 May 2025
First cohort of Solomon Islands women complete pilot state owned enterprise directors development program

Australia, through the Solomon Islands – Australia Partnership supported a group of Solomon Islands women leaders to complete the inaugural Solomon Islands Women SOE Directors Development Pilot Program in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

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8 May 2025
PSDI holds workshop to discuss Gender-Inclusive Private Sector Framework assessment findings in Papua New Guinea

Representatives from the PNG government and PSDI gathered in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea on 7 May for a workshop to review and validate the PSDI-gender inclusive private sector framework assessment for Papua New Guinea.

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7 May 2025
PNGID launches new SOE governance module in director development training with women leaders from Solomon Islands and PNG

A cohort of emerging and established women leaders from Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands commenced the PNG Institute of Directors (PNGID) Director Development Program, developed with the support of PSDI.

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Key Publications
PSDI Annual Report FY2024
PSDI Annual Report FY2024
This annual report outlines how the Pacific Private Sector Development Initiative supported the enabling environment for business and helped foster inclusive private sector-led economic growth in the Pacific during FY2024 (1 July 2023 - 30 June 2024).
Empowering Entrepreneurs: Exploring Women's Role in Fiji's Informal Tourism Economy
Empowering Entrepreneurs: Exploring Women's Role in Fiji's I...
This is the second in a series of PSDI reports focused on the role of women in the informal economy in the Pacific.
PSDI Country Overviews 2024-2025
PSDI Country Overviews 2024-2025
These fact sheets provide an overview of PSDI activities in each country to 2025.

Leadership Matters 2024: Benchmarking Women in Business Leadership in the Pacific
Leadership Matters 2024: Benchmarking Women in Business Lead...
This is the second edition of the Leadership Matters series, which collects and analyzes data on women’s representation on boards and in senior management in 14 Pacific countries.
Unlocking Potential: A Gender Inclusive Private Sector Framework for the Pacific Report and Country Assessments
Unlocking Potential: A Gender Inclusive Private Sector Frame...
The Gender Inclusive Private Sector Framework serves as a practical checklist for Pacific governments and institutions to measure progress and identify areas where further improvements are needed.
Invisible Hands: Enabling Pacific Women in the Informal Economy
Invisible Hands: Enabling Pacific Women in the Informal Econ...
This publication is the first in a series of PSDI reports focused on the role of women in the Pacific region’s informal economy.