Women entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship emerges from an individual’s creative spirit into long-term business ownership, employment creation, capital formation and economic security. A woman entrepreneur is one who starts business and manages it independently and tactfully, takes all the risks, faces the challenges boldly with an iron will to succeed and to strengthen her economic and societal status. In India, the major portion of the women’s community though equal to men in the population is subject to lots of deprivation in business activity. Women work participation in India is 31.6 % whereas in USA it is 45 %, UK 43 %, Canada 42 %, France 32 %, Indonesia 40 %, Sri Lanka and Brazil both 35 %.

Women perform an important role in building the real backbone of a nation’s economy. Many women’s domestic skills such as people and time management and household budgeting are directly transferable in the business context. Women have the ability to balance different tasks and priorities and tend to find satisfaction and success in and from building relationships with customers and employees.

In earlier days, Women got involved with 3 Ks (Kitchen, Kids, and Knitting) then it is extended to 3 Ps (Pickles, Powder and Pappad). Now at present with increasing awareness about business and spread of education among women over the period, they have started shifting from 3Ps to engross to 3 modern Es viz. Engineering, Electronics, and Energy. There are different organisations in India which are involved in promoting Women Entrepreneurship like National Resource Centre for Women (NRCW), Women’s India Trust (WIT), Working Women’s Forum (WWF), Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Small Scale Industries (AWESSI), Self- Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), etc.

In India the past image of restricted and home bound women is slowly going under change. The Indian women even after facing many Challenges are now trying to become economically independent. The right kind of assistance from family, society and Government can make these Roti making women entrepreneurs a part of the mainstream of national economy and they can contribute to the economic progress of the country.

Subhashree Sundar Ray