Empowering Women
Entrepreneurs:
An Imperative for Inclusive Rural Development
Inclusive
economic development is possible only when women, constituting 48% of
the total population of India, are empowered to be shareholders in the
process. But the macro-level data suggest that women participation in
economic activities still remains unreported. According to the latest
Periodic Labour Force Survey1 report and the Seventh Economic Census
2019, only 14 percent of women take to entrepreneurship. When the world
is moving towards self-employment and entrepreneurship, women across
India struggle with lack of information, mobility and connectivity to
even think about entrepreneurship. Creating a suitable environment to
enhance women entrepreneurship would require a concerted effort between
policy-makers and grassroot enablers.
![](Image/pg3.jpg)
Munni Devi impacting
women's lives with her sanitary napkin enterprise
Although national level schemes like Aajeevika Mission and Startup
Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP) of National Rural Livelihood
Mission have contributed to an increase in women entrepreneurship in
rural India, the systemic ecosystem barriers still remain. One of the
aspects of these programmes is the inclusion of women-run community
institutions like self-help groups and women federations. Using these
institutions to deliver enterprise support services contributed to
supporting significant women entrepreneurs. But this modus operandi of
national and state-run livelihood programmes struggles with the
following challenges:
-
Vague definition and roles of grassroots women-run institutions: The
current infrastructure of delivering women entrepreneurship support,
i.e., the SHG networks has no clear definition or roles. This
infrastructure mostly focuses on financial linkage and promotes
group-based entrepreneurship. This not only hinders individual
aspirations but also underestimates the power of solidarity that these
groups were envisioned to bring amongst the women.
-
Lack of holistic plan for women entrepreneurship: Current schemes
like SVEP and Aajeevika are centred on the assumption that the main
challenge for women entrepreneurs is access to finance. Although
important, finance itself cannot fill the gap created by lack of right
information, infrastructure and inspiration that a woman might need to
start and continue a successful business.
-
Lack of innovation and knowledge systems at grassroots level: The
current enterprise types are limited to sustenance-level business ideas
such as tailoring, grocery and animal husbandry, which often have no
growth aspects. The choice of businesses is often limited to ideas which
can be done within the woman’s house and with very low risk. Lack of
proper mentoring system, choices of new business ideas and knowledge
flow at the grassroots level often desist women to pursue
entrepreneurship.
Development Alternatives works in inclusive entrepreneurship through
programmes like Work4Progress (funded by "la Caixa" Foundation) and Second
Chance Education (funded by UN Women). DA has been successful in setting
up more than 970 women-run micro enterprises which have created 2,443
jobs during the last year. The social innovations approach implemented
by using tools such as ‘Kaun Banega Business Leader’ (an innovative
initiative which focuses on unleashing entrepreneurship in communities
through interactive games and competitions) and Persona-Based Service
Delivery (customisation of services based on the specific aspirations of
individuals) not only help women unleash their innate entrepreneurial
nature but also explore finding solidarity within the community to
facilitate and promote sustainable women-run businesses. What is also
interesting to see is women pursuing non-conventional enterprises such
as e-rickshaw plying, ice-cream manufacturing and shoe-manufacturing,
which break the gender stereotypes. Based on the action on ground, DA
realised that solidarity within women groups positively impacts their
confidence to start a business. But there is a need for enhancing
connectivity and mobility to overcome market barriers for women
entrepreneurs. Considering the deep social barriers persisting in local
communities, it is also important to customise the service based on the
need to better accommodate the aspirations of women.
![](Image/pg2-3.jpg)
Top 5 entrepreneurs of
Kaun Banega Business Leader, 2022 held at Mayurbhanj, Odisha
Entrepreneurship is not an option but a need for millions of rural women
who see themselves in a transitioning economy where they are not
eligible for many new-age jobs being created but at the same time are
more aware of their own aspirations and rights. A right policy shift to
ensure women, especially in rural areas, can have more choices for
creating sustainable businesses will provide the much-needed impetus to
the equitable socio-economic growth that is envisioned in the new India.
Footnote:
Aliva Das, TRIF and Debasis
Ray
dray@devalt.org
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