Financial access for women entrepreneurs: Why we need it, how it works
Several studies have noted that while women-owned enterprises comprise a major part of formal small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in emerging markets, these SMEs were observed to exhibit slower growth rates than businesses owned by men. The major reason? Difficulty in securing financing for their businesses. In the 2014 report of the Apec Business Advisory Council, the recommendation was made “to identify and remove barriers to women’s participation in high-growth potential sectors to support the growth of SMEs.”