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Service Centers for the Entrepreneurial Endeavors of Women
International interest

Representatives of the CSEMs have participated in trading missions with delegations from Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Spain, France, Italy, Morocco and Mozambique. Some countries, like Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica and Panamá have shown interest in reproducing the experience of the CSEMs.

Thanks to the impact capability of CSEMs in Guatemala, the Minister of Economy and his Vice Minister for MIPYMEs put together a national Local Economic Development strategy that foresees the creation of LEDAs and CSEMs in all departments of the country. This initiative involves the Presidential Offce for Women (SEPREM) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The international organizations that support the creation and operation of CSEMs in Central America and its international links are UNIFEM and UNOPS through the MyDEL Program, the IDEASS Program (ILO, UNDP, UNOPS), the ART Initiative of UNDP, and the ILSLEDA (ILO, UNDP, UNOPS), which supports the formation and strengthening of the LEDAs in all interested countries.

In particular, the UNIFEM-UNOPS-MyDEL (Women and Local Economic Development) Program has provided essential support in the implementations of CSEMs in the Local Economic Development Agencies of the Central American countries.

In September 2009, as a response to the great demand for technical assistance from national and local governments for the implementation of LEDA and CSEM, the “Service Centers for the Entrepreneurial Endeavors of Women and Local Economic Development Agencies School” (ECCA) was formed in the LEDA of Morazán, El Salvador. The school is directed at women and men who work at LEDAs in Central American countries. At ECCA, there are on-site and virtual courses. Furthermore, this institution organizes regional events to share experiences and improve the services provided by LEDAs and CSEMs, produce new instruments that will have an effect on public policies, promote women entrepreneurship, promote inclusive economic development with a focus on human development. ECCA collaborates with promotion initiatives carried out by the networks of Latin American LEDAs for Human Development (REMALDH).