Women Entrepreneurs in Ethiopia

The purpose of this research report is to consolidate and distil lessons drawn from earlier literature on factors affecting women entrepreneurs in Ethiopia.

The report:

• Examines existing literature on the micro and small enterprise (MSE) sector, on gender and on women entrepreneurs;
• Recognizes the contribution that microenterprises can make to the socio-economic empowerment of women;
• Aims to identify the constraints that hinder the growth of the MSE sector in Ethiopia;
• Reviews:
  • The factors that influence the growth and development of MSEs;
  • The experience of women entrepreneurs in Ethiopian MSEs.

The report finds the following reasons for the low representation of women in Ethiopian MSEs:

• Low levels of education and training;
• Too much time spent in household work;
• Lack of contact with the business world;
• Meager financial and human capital;
• Issues relating to ownership rights.

The report considers the appropriate enabling environment for a successful enterprise in Ethiopia at the micro, meso and macro-levels and discusses the accessibility, outreach, sustainability and relevance of financial and non-financial support services.

The report finds:

• Inadequate Empirical Research on Women in MSEs;
• Lack of:
  • Appropriate Technology;
  • Strong Organizations for Women Entrepreneurs;
  • Co-ordination Among Business Development Service (BDS) Providers;
  • Access to Land, markets and information.

The report concludes with a mention of pro-active measures that the government of Ethiopia has taken for the development of the MSE sector and to expedite the development process with attention to gender sensitivities.