A white paper titled ‘At the Helm: Women Entrepreneurs Transforming Middle India’ released by Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH)

Posted 03 May 2024

2 min read

It is based on a survey that highlights the complex socio-economic dynamics affecting women’s entrepreneurship in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, referred to as Middle India and role of women in their transformation.

Key Highlights of survey:
- Path to entrepreneurial success for women tends to extend longer due to various challenges.
- About 35% respondents reported pausing their entrepreneurial efforts due to caregiving responsibilities.
- 90.2% of women are primary decision-makers in their ventures, highlighting their autonomy and leadership.

Key challenges faced by women entrepreneurs:
- Capital Gap: Only 3% of surveyed women accessed external funding.
- Network Gap: Marriage drives 87% of women's migration, posing challenges in rebuilding social networks and slowing career progression.
- Care Gap: Caregiving responsibilities, including maternity leave, delays entrepreneurial success.
- Data Gap: Absence of gender-disaggregated data hampers policy interventions.
- Visibility Gap: Societal undervaluation leads to low visibility and limited recognition.

Policy Recommendations:
- Utilize gender-disaggregated data for effective policy interventions.

Breaking capital barriers through State-sponsored grants, female-focused incubators, and strengthening women’s support networks.
Fiscal incentives for childcare leave and expenses.
Creation of safe public and digital spaces with enhancement of physical mobility.

Articles Sources