Placing Gender Issues under the Spotlight
7 Dec 2021
The Incubation Network is putting gender issues in South and Southeast Asia’s plastic waste crisis under the spotlight
The first initiative will leverage regional relationships with organisations to kickstart innovation pilots, while the second is a curriculum that will help boost gender impact in sustainability startups.
SINGAPORE / BANGKOK – The Incubation Network has launched two fresh initiatives which put the gender issues in South and Southeast Asia’s waste management system under the spotlight, to improve opportunities to secure dignified work and livelihoods.
Strengthening the role of Women Waste Workers:
“The marginalisation that is currently embedded within waste systems and global markets tends to disproportionately affect women. A focus on gender equality and social inclusion is urgent in our work because in pursuing innovative solutions to improve waste management there is a risk of contributing to trends that could negatively impact the most marginalised and disenfranchised people in the system,” said Laura Benns, Director of Programs for SecondMuse and The Incubation Network program, an impact-driven initiative in South and Southeast Asia that sources, supports and scales holistic innovative solutions to combat plastic pollution.
The Incubation Network’s new efforts aim to improve the livelihoods and working conditions of women waste workers in the region, who tend to face gender-based disadvantage, discrimination, harassment, and violence. Opportunities to build assets and consolidate influence or power in the waste management value chain remain limited and are harder for women to access.
Introducing innovation pilots with organisations & a curriculum for more gender-forward startups
The Incubation Network’s two new initiatives will dive into challenges with a specific South and Southeast Asia focus. The work will examine the social and economic benefits of applying a gender lens to the issues of waste management, recycling, circular economy, entrepreneurship and ecosystem building.
The first initiative is to support pilot solutions with eight organisations via the newly launched “Equality in Plastics Circularity” programme, to advance gender equality and social inclusion within plastic waste management and recycling market systems.
Equality in Plastics Circularity will deploy support of more than US$220,000, as well as technical and other assistance, to the cohort of projects. The eight organisations working with The Incubation Network will spearhead innovative new solutions to tackle pressing issues across the plastic waste value chain. A full list introducing them can be found below.
The programme aims to achieve three key objectives. First, to generate and scale solutions to issues in waste management and recycling systems which place women as key stakeholders in innovation. Second, to create opportunities for civil society organisations, particularly those that represent waste workers and women’s rights, to influence decision-making in waste management and recycling systems. And finally, to raise awareness and inspire practical approaches to improving gender sensitivity and responsiveness.
The second initiative by The Incubation Network is a new curriculum developed with Value for Women on gender-inclusive business practices called Gender Impact for Entrepreneurs. The multimedia training modules in this curriculum will be made available to entrepreneurs and entrepreneur support organisations across the region, to help startups and growing businesses gain:
- An understanding of the social and economic benefits of applying a gender lens
- Knowledge of how gender intersects with issues of ocean plastic pollution in the region
- Access to practical strategies and tools to apply in their own businesses, from the product or service design phase through to seeking capital from gender lens investors.
“There is a common misconception that tackling gender inequality is either irrelevant to the mission of the entrepreneur, or requires knowledge or resources that are unavailable to them. The truth is that creating a gender-forward business is achievable for all, and can not only strengthen a business from an economic standpoint but also create conditions that empower women as key stakeholders in the market system,” said Renée Hunter, Portfolio Lead, Value for Women.
Both initiatives are an extension of The Incubation Network’s continued efforts to advance gender equality and social inclusion through innovative solutions. The Incubation Network has helped to scale over 75 startups to date, of which at least 29% have female leadership. This has previously been done via incubator-like programs with a local lens on specific plastic issues such as why flexible packaging has low recycling value in Southeast Asia and how to introduce circular economy foundations to startups.
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About The Incubation Network: The Incubation Network is an impact-driven initiative that sources, supports and scales holistic innovative solutions to combat plastic pollution and improve the livelihoods of vulnerable groups in waste management and recycling systems.
Part of a highly collaborative community of startups and entrepreneurs, investors, partners and programs, The Incubation Network works together with industry players to tackle key barriers to address plastic leakage and advance a circular economy. This includes sourcing and supporting, to scaling early-stage or pre-investment solutions and connecting compatible ecosystem players to reinforce the value chain in waste management and recycling.
Established in 2019, The Incubation Network is a partnership between non-profit organisation, The Circulate Initiative and impact innovation company, SecondMuse. The Incubation Network is open to interested collaborators, corporations, and mentors, looking to address plastic leakage and advance a circular economy in South & Southeast Asia. For more information, visit: www.incubationnetwork.com.