Oct 23, 2024
By: Kapil Yadav
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The data used for this story is from the report titled "Women Entrepreneurship in India: Evidence from Economic Censuses" that has been compiled by Ellina Samantroy from the V. V. Giri National Labour Institute and J. S. Tomar from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of India.
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Entrepreneurship is critical for women's economic empowerment, which is essential for achieving sustainable development goals of gender equality and women's empowerment .
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There is a significant decline in female labour force participation in rural areas, dropping from 126.49 million in 2004-2005 to 103.6 million in 2011-2012, highlighting the urgent need for policy interventions.
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The economic loss due to gender gaps in labour force participation indicates that countries with larger gaps can incur income losses of up to 30% of GDP per capita.
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Women in developing countries often face barriers to accessing resources and formal power, which affects their entrepreneurial activities and overall economic participation.
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Self-employment is more prevalent among women, with about 56% of female workers being self-employed compared to 51% of male workers, underscoring the informal nature of many women's jobs.
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Only 15.40% of proprietary establishments are run by women, with a significant number lacking hired workers, indicating a trend toward necessity-driven entrepreneurship rather than innovation-driven.
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The analysis shows that a higher proportion of female workers are engaged in smaller enterprises, particularly in rural areas where about 75% of informal sector workers are involved in such businesses.
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The article asserts that empowering women through entrepreneurship can lead to broader economic growth and social development, benefiting families and communities.
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There is a call for policies that specifically address the unique challenges faced by women entrepreneurs to enhance their participation and success in the economy.
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Self-employment is often viewed as a route out of poverty for marginalised groups, suggesting that promoting women's entrepreneurship can significantly impact poverty reduction efforts.
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