France and Tunisia launch initiatives to support female entrepreneurs

France has implemented a new decree to support women in the agricultural sector by providing regressive social security contribution exemptions. This measure aims to help spouses of farmers transition into roles as farm managers. The exemptions, which cover health insurance, maternity, family allowances, and basic old-age insurance, will decrease over five years: starting at 65% in the first year and ending at 15% in the fifth. This initiative addresses a legal requirement to change the status of over 8,000 collaborators, 80% of whom are women, by 2027.

In Tunisia, the Ministry of Family has launched a 12-month national program to centralize support for female entrepreneurs. Known as the ‘National Initiative to Unify the Female Entrepreneurship Path’, the program creates a single window for administrative, financial, and technical assistance. The initiative aims to connect women with micro-credit banks, vocational training centers, and employment agencies to streamline the process from project feasibility to commercialization, with a specific focus on reaching rural artisans and young graduates.