Completed Research

Women’s Economic Empowerment in Jalisco

University of Toronto

Co-Meta, an initiative based in Jalisco, mobilizes a network of local economic and social actors who support women’s economic empowerment. The network connects business leaders from across Jalisco, who act as mentors and instructors. This research project aimed to support Co-Meta as it scales up from 130 to 1,500 participants.

Key Takeaways

Research focused on organizational structure and key recommendations for improved program delivery and increased impact include:

  1. Deliver effective communication to ensure all actors have visibility on the larger initiative and know how their efforts fit within the greater framework
  2. Streamline baseline training to ensure that mentors, teachers and interns all have the knowledge to work effectively with the cohort of women
  3. Implement off-boarding survey to glean insights for program improvement
  4. Create a centralized monitoring and evaluation system, including metrics to help gather and disseminate priority data among the Co-Meta initiative partners, and will give the program insights into the sustainability of the skills imparted to the women and the collective sustainability of their ventures

Acknowledgements

This research was made possible by ITESO Universidad and through the Reach Alliance, a partnership between the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy and the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth. Research was also funded by the Ralph and Roz Halbert Professorship of Innovation at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy. We express our gratitude and appreciation to those we met and interviewed. This research could not have been possible without the help of ProSociedad, UN Women Second Chance Education and Vocational Training (SCE) Programme and the Government of Jalisco. ProSociedad repeatedly provided us with any assistance that we needed. The following organizations were essential to the completion of this program evaluation: ProSociedad, CEMEX Community Centre, Asociación Femenina ProMéxico (NGO), Academias Municipales de Zapopan, HP Inc., Secretaría de Igualdad Sustantiva entre Mujeres y Hombres del Gobierno de Jalisco (Jalisco’s Gender Equality Ministry), SummaT Company, En Concreto, ITESO/ ITESO PAP, Tec de Monterrey, ONU Mujeres México and Boutique Financiera. We are also grateful to Magdalena Rodríguez, Elsa Domínguez, Mario Alonso Oropeza and Gregorio Leal Martinez.