The central message of the Manama Declaration, issued at the close of the World Entrepreneurs and Investment Forum in Bahrain, is that women must be placed at the heart of economic transformation. The declaration emphasizes that empowering women within business and innovation ecosystems is essential for achieving inclusive and sustainable growth. It calls for strengthening women’s participation in emerging sectors such as the green economy, blue economy and orange economy, which promote environmental sustainability, responsible ocean resource use and creative industries respectively.
Organized by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization Investment and Technology Promotion Office in Bahrain, the forum brought together global leaders, investors and entrepreneurs to foster a more resilient global economy and unlock opportunities for women-led enterprises. Participants highlighted the importance of collaboration, access to finance and innovation in scaling women-owned businesses across regions.
For many entrepreneurs, the forum produced tangible outcomes. Business-to-business meetings facilitated new partnerships across the Middle East and North Africa, while networking sessions connected participants from multiple continents. Entrepreneurs from Bahrain, Nigeria, Sri Lanka and other countries shared experiences on overcoming barriers such as limited access to capital, technology and markets. Delegates noted that women across regions face similar structural challenges, and that shared dialogue can generate practical, cross-border solutions.
The event also spotlighted inclusive entrepreneurship initiatives, including exhibitions showcasing artists with disabilities and social enterprises supporting vulnerable groups. These initiatives demonstrated how entrepreneurship can foster independence, skills development and social inclusion. Participants underscored that empowering women in creative and cultural industries not only drives economic value but also strengthens community resilience.
A recurring theme was the role of academia in preparing young women for entrepreneurship. Educators stressed the need to embed entrepreneurship as a methodology within higher education, encouraging experiential learning, innovation and connections to mentorship and funding networks. Universities were urged to serve as bridges between students and broader entrepreneurial ecosystems, ensuring young women are equipped to launch and scale ventures successfully.
The forum was preceded by the annual conference of the International Women Entrepreneurial Challenge, which supports the growth of women-owned businesses worldwide. Gerd Müller, Director General of UNIDO, described women’s entrepreneurship as a driving force for sustainable development and global innovation, reaffirming that empowering women is essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. He also highlighted UNIDO’s work in crisis-affected regions, where women entrepreneurs often require targeted support to rebuild livelihoods.
Speakers emphasized that women represent half of the world’s productive potential and that investing in their leadership and enterprise capacity yields transformative national and global outcomes. Success stories from Bahrain, Nigeria and beyond illustrated how women-led businesses are scaling internationally, generating employment and contributing to ethical supply chains.
Overall, the Manama Declaration and the outcomes of the forum reinforce a clear message: advancing women’s entrepreneurship is not only a matter of equity, but a strategic imperative for sustainable economic transformation worldwide.
