Access to Knowledge for Development Center - A2K4D

On 11 May 2026, the Access to Knowledge for Development (A2K4D) Center at The American University in Cairo hosted the roundtable discussion “Incentivizing Formalization: Women Informal Entrepreneurs in Egypt’s Digital Economy” at AUC Tahrir Campus.

The event brought together researchers, policymakers, parliamentarians, development practitioners, and civil society representatives to discuss the realities and challenges facing women informal entrepreneurs in Egypt’s digital economy, while exploring pathways toward more inclusive and sustainable formalization policies.

The discussions tackled key themes including social protection, financing, labor formalization, legal and bureaucratic barriers, productive clusters, governance frameworks, and multi-stakeholder coordination needed to support women’s economic empowerment and digital inclusion.

The roundtable featured distinguished speakers and experts from A2K4D, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) Egypt, UN Women, the Egyptian Parliament, the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, alongside leading researchers and professionals working across economic development and social equity.

We are proud to continue fostering evidence-based dialogue and collaborative policy discussions that advance inclusive digital economies and women’s empowerment in Egypt and the region.

IDRC Middle East and North Africa
IDRC / CRDI
AUC Onsi Sawiris School of Business
Open African Innovation Research - Open AIR
Global Network of Internet & Society Centers
Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford