FINANCIAL ACCESS FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS: WHY WE NEED IT, HOW IT WORKS

Ma. Aurora D. Geotina-Garcia | April 7, 2016

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.”

Further, at the recent Apec Women and the Economy Forum hosted by the Philippines in September 2015, a recommendation was made during the High-Level Policy Dialogue (HLPD) on Women and the Economy to adopt a gender lens in establishing financial support and training for businesses owned by women. Access to finance continues to remain as a major constraint faced by women entrepreneurs.

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