Partners: Feminist Policy Collective, IWWAGE

Women entrepreneurs in India’s Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise (MSME) sector are crucial to the country’s economic growth. However, they face significant challenges despite enablers such as social commerce, government initiatives, ICT adoption,  alternative credit measures and ecosystem-based solutions like upskilling, networking, and collaborative philanthropy. The India Gender Report 2024, released by the Feminist Policy Collective, explores the gendered status of India’s citizens through the perspective of transformative finance. Preethi Rao, our Partnerships & Outreach Director, co-authored a chapter on Women in MSMEs in the report’s Women and Work section. The chapter examines the gender dynamics within micro, small, and medium enterprises and advocates for ecosystem-based solutions, mentorship, and market linkages to support women’s success in entrepreneurship.

A Pre-Budget Consultation was also organised by the Collective on ‘Women in the Indian Economy’, which brought together senior experts highlighting:

• The critical need for mentorship and networking opportunities tailored to women entrepreneurs
• The potential of public-private partnerships and collaborations to address these challenges and foster innovation among women entrepreneurs

Further details forthcoming.