The World Bank’s South Asia Region Gender Innovation Lab is conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis of interventions with direct or indirect effects on measures of women’s economic empowerment. The
This working paper reviews the literature on strategies to support women entrepreneurs in improving their business outcomes. It focuses on interventions designed to address four areas of constraints that influence
Investing in gender-diverse companies leads to stronger business outcomes, yet in emerging markets, only 11% of startups that attain seed funding are led by women, and this gap grows over
This report focuses on women’s use of mobile phones for business and the mobile gender gaps experienced by women micro-entrepreneurs. Even when women micro-entrepreneurs own a mobile phone, they may
This 2022/2023 GEM Women’s Entrepreneurship Report presents a trend analysis of women’s entrepreneurship across 49 countries, 5 global regions and 3 national income levels. Women are over-represented among the smallest
This paper addresses the need to reform the international development finance architecture in ways that expand access to affordable credit for women entrepreneurs. It lays out an evidence-based pathway, emphasizing
In this paper, the authors develop a framework for quantifying barriers to labor force participation (LFP) and entrepreneurship faced by women in India. They find substantial barriers to LFP, and
This report highlights the importance of actively promoting productive uses to MSMEs, including small farmers, as a way of accelerating development after communities gain access to electricity. An ecosystem approach
Current approaches to assessing women’s employment opportunities fail to recognize that geography and place play an essential role in enabling women to work outside the home. How will this affect
One of the key constraints in improving energy access in the renewable energy sector is the availability and affordability of financing, especially for women-owned or -led micro, small, or medium
Documents
What do We Know About Interventions to Increase Women’s Economic Participation and Empowerment in South Asia? Self-Help Group Programs
The World Bank’s South Asia Region Gender Innovation Lab is conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis of interventions with direct or indirect effects on measures of women’s economic empowerment. The
What Works in Supporting Women-Led Businesses? (2024)
This working paper reviews the literature on strategies to support women entrepreneurs in improving their business outcomes. It focuses on interventions designed to address four areas of constraints that influence
Scaling Equity: Lessons from Accelerators Supporting Women-led Startups in Emerging Markets (2023)
Investing in gender-diverse companies leads to stronger business outcomes, yet in emerging markets, only 11% of startups that attain seed funding are led by women, and this gap grows over
Understanding Women Micro-entrepreneurs’ Use of Mobile Phones for Business: Evidence from 10 Low- and Middle-income Countries (2023)
This report focuses on women’s use of mobile phones for business and the mobile gender gaps experienced by women micro-entrepreneurs. Even when women micro-entrepreneurs own a mobile phone, they may
GEM 2022/23 Women’s Entrepreneurship Report: Challenging Bias and Stereotypes (2023)
This 2022/2023 GEM Women’s Entrepreneurship Report presents a trend analysis of women’s entrepreneurship across 49 countries, 5 global regions and 3 national income levels. Women are over-represented among the smallest
Women and Equitable Growth in a Resource-Constrained World Unleashing Capital for Women Entrepreneurs in Africa (2024)
This paper addresses the need to reform the international development finance architecture in ways that expand access to affordable credit for women entrepreneurs. It lays out an evidence-based pathway, emphasizing
Aggregate Implications of Barriers to Female Entrepreneurship (2021, revised 2024)
In this paper, the authors develop a framework for quantifying barriers to labor force participation (LFP) and entrepreneurship faced by women in India. They find substantial barriers to LFP, and
Accelerating the Productive Use of Electricity: Enabling Energy Access to Power Rural Economic Growth (2023)
This report highlights the importance of actively promoting productive uses to MSMEs, including small farmers, as a way of accelerating development after communities gain access to electricity. An ecosystem approach
A Methodological Framework for the Geospatial Assessment of Women Employment and Business Opportunities in the Renewable Energy Sector – Methodology Report (2023)
Current approaches to assessing women’s employment opportunities fail to recognize that geography and place play an essential role in enabling women to work outside the home. How will this affect
Building the Business Case for Women’s Inclusive Financing in Last-Mile Renewable Energy Markets in Sub-Saharan Africa (2022)
One of the key constraints in improving energy access in the renewable energy sector is the availability and affordability of financing, especially for women-owned or -led micro, small, or medium