Women social entrepreneurs

Women in this modern world have made sure to make a change in this competitive world where men rule in every aspect of our society. According to an OECD working paper, the ‘gender gap’ in social entrepreneurship is much smaller than in ‘mainstream’ entrepreneurship, meaning that social entrepreneurship can be a powerful tool for growing female entrepreneurship and labor market participation. Furthermore, the study discovered that the scale and profitability of social enterprises led by women and men were quite close. “Women-led ventures tend to be more likely to open up new markets – that is, offering a product/service that no one else at the time provided,” according to a significant difference found between male and female-led social enterprises. This indicates that women social entrepreneurs are notable ‘lead innovators’ when it comes to social innovation, likely because of their unusual sensitivity to social needs. Female-led social enterprises, on the other hand, were more participative in management, showing “the ability of women social entrepreneurs to inspire others” (and in doing so, enabling colleagues to learn and develop important talents and skills).

According to a survey conducted by the WEstart project, the Human Health and Social Work Activities had a higher percentage (26%) of female-led social enterprises, and respondents said the social problems most important to their mission were “Inclusion of socially disadvantaged people and groups,” followed by “Diversity inclusion.” They were mainly concerned with the incorporation of socially excluded persons into the labor market. The primary reason for creating a social enterprise was to respond to community needs and make a difference. “Women identified directly experiencing and observing unmet needs in their society in the countries surveyed, and searching for creative solutions that will bring about change,” the study continues. They also identify a personal calling to social issues and a determination to use their work to make the world a better place.” This suggests that women are more concerned with social priorities than men, likely as a result of conventional gender roles that place women far closer to social issues in both their personal and professional lives. Furthermore, many women surveyed had a personal connection with the mission and goal chosen for their enterprise: “The majority of women interviewed for the WEstart project referred having had a personal or first-hand experience that motivated them to start their social enterprise”. 

The challenges that female leaders and creators of social enterprises face are very close to those that female entrepreneurs face in general. Women’s entrepreneurship is challenged by a lack of funding options, and several female leaders have claimed that attracting investors can be challenging. Furthermore, rigid policies and regulations will make it difficult to start and operate social enterprises. Supporting programs that enable female social entrepreneurs to learn from one another and develop their expertise and skills in running their businesses is also crucial. Female social entrepreneurs face a lack of visibility, so it’s critical to promote networking events and initiatives that highlight their contributions to communities around the world. Female social entrepreneurs are trailblazers in the area of social change. Women’s leadership and engagement in the social economy can be bolstered by a policy climate that allows them to start social businesses. Similarly, telling customers about the advantages of female-led social enterprises will inspire them to seek out their services and goods, which benefits the local economy and community. The UN Entity for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (UN Women) has taken the lead in promoting women’s entrepreneurship, women in rural areas, reducing labor market and job discrimination, fostering dialogue on the importance of women’s economic empowerment, and facilitating knowledge and information sharing among women entrepreneurs.