{"id":3201,"date":"2024-03-27T14:36:30","date_gmt":"2024-03-27T14:36:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/globalcommunities.org\/2024\/03\/27\/promoting-womens-entrepreneurship-in-india\/"},"modified":"2025-09-05T10:14:16","modified_gmt":"2025-09-05T10:14:16","slug":"promoting-womens-entrepreneurship-in-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/globalcommunities.org\/blog\/promoting-womens-entrepreneurship-in-india\/","title":{"rendered":"Promoting Women’s Entrepreneurship to Drive Economic Growth: Perspectives from India"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Irina Sinha, Project Concern International (PCI) India<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

India has grown into the fifth largest economy in the world. The growth of the country\u2019s gross domestic product (GDP) indicates the existence of a plethora of opportunities that people can leverage to partake in the economy. Over the past decade, there has been a notable increase in the rate of women’s labor force participation. In 2023, this rate stood at nearly 33% as compared to 27%<\/a> in 2013.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is pertinent to pause and reflect where the growth in women’s labor force participation<\/strong> is coming from. Approximately 51% of women entrepreneurs and businesswomen in India earn less than USD 120 per month<\/a>. Yet the recent Periodic Labor Force Survey (PLFS) conducted by the government of India reveals an increase in self-employment among working women, despite dwindling average earnings. This trend partly arises from the pandemic-induced income shocks, prompting women to supplement family incomes and highlighting their pivotal role in stabilizing household finances. According to PLFS data from 2021 to 2022, women are much less likely to work then men, but they are more likely to be self-employed than men<\/strong> (60% vs. 51%). Notably, 60% of working women aged 15 to 59 are self-employed, with around 45% operating their own enterprises<\/a>. This highlights the urgent need for tailored support to businesswomen so that they can sustain their entrepreneurial journeys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reducing Gender Barriers to Entrepreneurship<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A journey to entrepreneurship is a complex one, and one that requires sufficient investment of effort, time and money. Women, especially those from marginalized backgrounds, face a myriad of sociocultural and material barriers<\/a> to their economic advancement, including rigid gender norms, limited education and a lack of mentorship.<\/p>\n\n\n

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It is important to recognize that women entrepreneurs are not a homogenous group<\/strong>. Efforts to support them must be tailored to their needs based upon their unique skills and opportunities, and the specific barriers they face. The best approach is to understand the existing systems and structures \u2013 formal and informal \u2013 and then both work within these systems to support women entrepreneurs and advocate for systemic changes<\/strong>, including by challenging gender norms and barriers. The key aspects of such a model must include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n