The Center for Accelerated Women’s Economic Empowerment (CAWEE) with the support and funding by the International Trade Center will be implementing a project on the Economic Empowerment of women in the sectors of Textiles/ Garments and Leather. In addition, the project is also working in building the capacities of four fashion institutes/schools in Ethiopia. Those fashion institutes are from both the private and government sector: Next Fashion Design Institute and Wossi International Fashion College from the private sector, whereas, Ethiopian Institute for Textile and Fashion Technology (EiTEX), Baherdar University and the Ethiopian Textile Industry Development Institute. ​​

On December 21^st, 2015 the Steering Committee met at Mosaic Hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to conduct its first meeting. The Steering Committee comprises of nine organizations, Office of the First Lady of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Ministry of Trade, Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations, Wossi International Fashion Institute, Next Fashion Institute and Ethiopian Institute of Textile and Fashion Technology (EiTEX), Baherdar University, the Ethiopian Textile Industry Development Institute and the International Trade Center.

This first meeting of the steering committee introduced the project to the major partners involved, and highlighted the main goals, underlining what is expected from the members of the steering committee. As the planning workshop of the fashion schools was conducted few days earlier than this meeting, the Executive Director of CAWEE provided briefing to the steering committee, on the outcomes of the workshop and the plans for the way forward.

In this first meeting of the steering committee, ITC consultant Mrs. Lemlem briefly presented her survey findings of December 2014, where the steering committee members also discussed on the briefing provided. The Executive Director of CAWEE further explained that, it was based on this survey finding that this joint project of CAWEE and ITC was developed for seven months.