Archive for the 'Gender challenges' Category

Zimbabwe Female Entrepreneurs Face Funding Challenges

When it comes to obtaining credit from financial institutions, the perception is quite dismal from Zimbabwe women entrepreneurs a recent survey shows.

Yet, according to the study “An Analysis of the Enabling Environment and Potential for Women’s Empowerment” by Dr. Charity Manyeruke on behalf of the Women Alliance of Business Associations in Zimbabwe (Wabaz), a significant segment of female entrepreneurs have not attempted to obtain funding from financial institutions.

The negative perception might be getting in the way of at least attempting to make things happen.  Even so, it’s still challenging to get funding.

•  Based on the study, 34 percent of the female entrepreneurs who undertook the survey consider obtaining credit from commercial banks as “very difficult.”

Learn more here.  Related article here.

Illustration credit:  Dr. Manyeruke’s book

Posted by:  Laurel Delaney

When It Comes to Giving, Measure What Matters

When giving money, give to nonprofits that measure what matters to you.  That’s advice from Mary Ellen Iskenderian (pictured), President and CEO, Women’s World Banking.

Watch video here:  big think interview

Posted by:  Laurel Delaney

Women Are Essential to the Revival of the U.S. Economy

As Kay Koplovitz (pictured) points out:

Women hold 80 % the purchasing power for consumer goods in the U.S., a sector accounting for a critical 70% of the U.S. economy. So we already know that women are essential to the revival of the U.S. economy.

Women are also a rising powerhouse in building the economy as founders of high growth companies.  Find out why by reading the entire article:

Women:  The Emerging Market in High Growth Businesses

Illustration credit here.

Posted by:  Laurel Delaney

Ease the Environment To Bring More Women Into Entrepreneurship

How to empower women?  Declare 2013 as “Women Entrepreneurship Development Year.”  And in the case of Nepal, ease the environment to bring more women into entrepreneurship.

Minister for Industry Anil Jha said he is positive about the proposal. He said, “I am also positive about necessary amendments in policies that would ease the environment for women entrepreneurs.” Suresh Kumar Basnet, president of Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) requested the government to seriously implement policies to bring more women into entrepreneurship.

Learn more here.

Illustration credit:  Federation of Woman Entrepreneurs Associations of Nepal (FWEAN)

Make a Difference For Women in Conflict-Stricken Countries

Are you running a business?  Then you might want to offer your skills to emerging entrepreneurs the world over.  Find out about the difference Bpeace (Bpeace blog) is making in our businesses and the lives of many Afghans — leading to peace building in Afghanistan.

Learn more here.

Photo credit here (related to Bpeace)

Posted by: Laurel Delaney

Women Have What It Takes to Start and Expand a Business Globally

Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah Mansor, the wife of Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak, the prime minster of Malaysia, spoke at the Women in Leadership Forum in Abu Dhabi last month and presented data on female entrepreneurial activity. One of the questions she addressed:

“How do we transform businesses owned, or run by women, into top international companies and emerge as leaders in their respective industries?.”

Experts indicate the importance of networking while others say that obtaining managerial and technical skills along with accessing capital can also help fuel the growth of women-led companies.

Learn more here: Women Out to Bridge Gap – The National

Photo credit here.

Posted by:  Laurel Delaney

Where in the World Are Women Rising Fastest?

Where are women entrepreneurs rising fastest?  Forget the advanced country of the United States!  It’s Sao Paulo (related article here), Manila and Mumbai where women are leapfrogging to business ownership.  What are they selling?  Think simplistically:  mangoes and home-made blouses.

Women in these countries are newly empowered by remarkable gains in political representation, legal rights and, especially, education. But more important, they are rising in the 21st century’s key economic strata: as business owners.

Read the entire article here.

Illustration credit:  DCED

Posted by:  Laurel Delaney

Best Internet Entrepreneurs in the World: Women

Find out why women make excellent entrepreneurs in the digital age.  Part of the growth for woman-owned businesses can be attributed to:

  • Sheer necessity
  • Balance of career and family
  • Four essential skills (listening, collaboration, communication and low risk-taking)

Read the entire article here.

Posted by:  Laurel Delaney

Three Women Are Winners of the Nobel Peace Prize

Photo courtesy of: Ahmed Jadallah/Scanpix

And the winners are:  Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberian activist Leymah Gbowee and Yemeni rights campaigner Tawakkul Karman (pictured).

All of them have been recognized by the Norwegian Nobel Committee for their “non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participation in peace-building work.”

Congratulations to Ellen, Leymah and Tawakkul.  We are very proud of you and thank you for the important work you do on behalf of women throughout our world.

Read more here.

Photo of:  Tawakkul Karman

Posted by:  Laurel Delaney

 

 

Strengthening Women’s Role in the Global Economy

A great speech by a senior state department official on how to unlock a vital, undertapped resource in our world:  women.

She also makes the point that at the beginning of the 21st century, we are entering what she calls the participation age where every individual regardless of gender or other characteristics is poised to be a contributing and valued member of the global marketplace. But in order for that to happen, we have to remove the structural and social impediments stacking the deck against them, and particularly against women. We don’t have a person to waste, and we certainly don’t have …

Read:  Background Briefing on Women in the Global Economy

Posted by:  Laurel Delaney

Next Page »


Join 122 other followers

Best of the Best

Alltop

ACCESS SMBs Guide

AboutBADGE1

Ask a Question

Copyright Notice

©2008-2012 Laurel Delaney.
All rights reserved.

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 122 other followers