Author: Simica Mallick
Introduction: The Rise of Women Entrepreneurs
Chavan & Murkute (2016) states that The study identifies top five financial & psychological factors motivating women to become entrepreneurs. These are desire to build the wealth, the wish to capitalize own business ideas they had, the appeal of startup culture, a long standing desire to own their own company and working with someone else did not appeal them. The challenges are more related with entrepreneurship rather than gender.
Women’s Work Participation and Role in Rural Entrepreneurship
Gandhi & Sharma (2014) presented that Work participation of Indian women is 22% as per 1991 census and triple in rural areas around 27% and in urban areas 9%, thus the role and involvement of women entrepreneurs in rural sector is tremendously enhancing, the literacy levels increased ratio is also a significant factor of this positive trend in the field of entrepreneurship.
Challenges Faced by Rural Women Entrepreneurs
Gautam & Mishra (2016) finds The key aspects of rural entrepreneurship focus on the best use of local resources in entrepreneurial projects, reducing discrimination by providing alternative employment, and activating the fundamental system of ‘6M’—Money, Material, Manpower, Machinery, Management, and Market—to benefit rural zones. Despite its potential, rural women entrepreneurship faces significant barriers, including low risk-bearing capacity, lack of education, financial constraints, and social limitations, which hinder its development and sustainability in India.
Gender Discrimination and Leadership Barriers
Irene (2020) finds that It seems we still have a long way to go in acknowledging the necessity to eliminate gender stereotypes, but lightening women’s domestic load is only part of the solution. It is also vital to eliminate discrete forms of gender discrimination (the invisible barriers to engagement/employment and advancement), such as the glass ceiling, the glass escalator, the sticky floor, and the leaky pipeline. In other words, the gender leadership gap, pay gap, and participation gap indicate that integrating the gender dimension into social structures, policies, institutions, and research is vital. Integrating the gender dimension means eliminating gender devaluation, viz. the subtle processes by which women’s contributions are minimized, undervalued, or devalued.
Government Initiatives and Digital Empowerment
Ingalagi et al (2021) finds While financial constraints and societal biases are widely acknowledged as major hurdles for women entrepreneurs, some argue that government initiatives and global connectivity have significantly reduced these barriers. Digitalization, microfinance opportunities, and online marketplaces have enabled women to access business resources more easily, challenging the traditional notion that women face insurmountable economic and social obstacles in entrepreneurship.
Global Perspectives on Women in Business
Kalim (2019) states Globally, women are considered as the weaker gender physically and emotionally; therefore, prospects open for them to develop into business professionals is an area still quite unexplored and needs attention. Overcoming the challenges of the business world is no doubt more treacherous for women than their male counterparts; therefore, they undergo various impediments to achieve their business success. Fortunately, due to technological advancements and means of communication, the world has turned into a global community, creating new channels and opening up avenues for women to explore their potential aptitudes and search for better business opportunities. Entrepreneurship is not just confined to any one gender now; rather, due to multi-faceted economic pressures, women have turned up and realized that the survival of their families and their own potential lies in working side by side with men.
Encouraging Women’s Entrepreneurship
Koneru (2017) states that We always viewed that a smart woman can pick up a job any day, but if she becomes an entrepreneur, she can provide a livelihood to 10 more women at least..!! Highly educated, technically sound and professionally qualified women should be encouraged for managing their own business, rather than dependent on wage employment outlets. The unexplored talents of young women can be identified, trained and used for various types of industries to increase the productivity in the industrial sector.
Skill-Finance Gap in Rural Women’s Entrepreneurship
Kumbhar (2013) emphasizes The paradox of entrepreneurial skill and finance remains a critical issue in rural India. Women from economically affluent families often lack business skills despite having financial resources, while women from economically weaker backgrounds possess strong entrepreneurial abilities but struggle due to a lack of capital support. This disparity creates a cycle where women with potential cannot start businesses, and those with resources fail to maximize opportunities, highlighting the need for targeted financial and skill-based support programs.
Case Study: Kudumbashree Initiative (A Success Story – Real Impact)
Murale et al (2021) finds The Kudumbashree case shows how multiple-level initiatives can enhance women’s development and support broad sustainable social change because such initiatives are sensitive to the embeddedness of women’s agency into specific socio-political and cultural contexts. Kudumbashree represents a participatory, local governance approach to development, which respects the politics of location (Rice and Hancock 2016) that does not follow universalized assumptions regarding women’s experiences (Adjei 2015). The program’s mission extends beyond economic empowerment; it actively integrates women into decision-making processes at the grassroots level, fostering leadership, financial independence, and social mobility. By balancing top-down policy interventions with bottom-up community engagement, Kudumbashree has successfully facilitated a model of empowerment that is both scalable and adaptable to other socio-economic contexts.
The Role of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in Women’s Economic Independence (A Sustainable Solution – The Path Forward)
Sisir & Shruti (2020) finds that The Self Help Group [SHG] has paved the way for economic independence of rural women. The members of SHGs are involved in micro-entrepreneurships. Through that, they are becoming economically independent and providing employment opportunities to others.
Conclusion
In Conclusion Women entrepreneurship is growing in India, driven by financial aspirations and rising rural participation. Despite progress, gender barriers like stereotypes, pay gaps, and structural biases persist, demanding policy reforms. Digitalization and globalization have expanded opportunities, but rural women face a paradox—those with funds lack business skills, while skilled women struggle with capital. Rural entrepreneurship leverages local resources yet faces financial and social constraints. Encouraging educated women in business can boost productivity and employment. Self-Help Groups (SHGs) empower rural women through micro-enterprises. The Kudumbashree model in Kerala blends grassroots participation with policy support, fostering financial independence, leadership, and sustainable socio-economic change.
References
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Sisir Ghorai & Shruti Sengupta, 2020. “Women Entrepreneurs: An Overview about Growth and Various Problem Faced by Them,” International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation, International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI), vol. 7(5), pages 285-288, May.