Bahrain Launches WE-Elevate Program to Support Women-Led MSMEs

By: WE staff | Monday, 29 September 2025

• Bahrain has also initiated the WE-Elevate initiative to empower women-owned micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs)
• It is governed by the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO)
• This launch is one of the broader expansions of WE-Elevate to all DCO member states

Bahrain's Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications unveiled the launch of WE-Elevate, a program created by the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) to empower women-owned MSMEs, across the country.

WE-Elevate is one part of a larger DCO rollout in all member states that was first unveiled at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80) in New York.

WE-Elevate is a capacity development program that blends online learning, mentorship, and exposure to trading platforms to enhance the digital, financial, and business capabilities of entrepreneurs.

The program is step-by-step and leads businesses through offline operation to online, allowing them to sell and trade internationally. It enables the formalization of women-owned MSMEs, increases their customer base, and fosters sustainable employment generation.

Micro, small and medium enterprises are crucial to the economy of Bahrain, contributing to 17.8 percent of an estimated GDP of $46.2 billion by 2025. Women around the world continue to lag in representation in senior leadership roles, holding only 12.2 percent of C-suite roles in the STEM industry: hence the need for programs such as WE-Elevate.

Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, Dr. Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa of Bahrain, reiterated the country’s commitment to multilateralism and inclusive digitalization.

DCO Secretary-General Deemah Al Yahya pointed to the program's effectiveness, referring to the Rwanda pilot where participating MSMEs improved their digital skill-set, simplified things, and made their way into new markets.

The program also contributes to the advancement of Bahrain towards the Sustainable Development Goals, specifically SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

Applications are now available for qualified MSMEs across all DCO member states. Business owners can apply at dco.org/initiatives/stride to start moving into digital-first businesses that can compete on the global stage.