Case Study: Empowering Women in Waste to Reduce Ocean Plastics

The activity is part of the USAID Clean Cities, Blue Ocean program and focuses on promoting gender equality in the waste sector. The study highlights the challenges faced by women in the waste sector, including lack of access to resources, limited business skills, and gender-based violence. It also presents the approach and impact of the WWEE activity, which includes delivering empowerment training, providing business skills training and mentorship, and offering access to funding opportunities. The study reports that the activity has reached over 700 women in Indonesia and the Philippines, resulting in increased confidence, improved business skills, and access to funding for women-owned enterprises. The document concludes with key recommendations for replicating the success of the WWEE activity, including delivering empowerment training, including a business incubator component, adapting the training to local contexts, and working with local and national governments to recognize informal waste collectors.