How Entrepreneurship Creates Equal and Inclusive Opportunities

By the book, Paris women were not allowed to wear trousers until the year 2013. The law that didn’t allow ladies to wear pants has been in effect for over two centuries. Even though it turned into a joke that was ignored by millions of Paris women, who wore all types of trousers, the law remained written in the statute books until 2013. It was the minister of women’s rights, who drafted a statement that made it possible to finally repeal it.
The initial purpose of the law was to prevent women from accessing some jobs or positions that were considered male domains. Thus women were required to ask for permission from local police if they wanted to dress in the manner of men.

This is one particular case that confirms how old-fashioned norms, laws, beliefs, and convictions can limit equal access to jobs and opportunities because of someone’s gender, age, race, social class, religion, disability, or sexual orientation. It also shows that’s a worldwide issue. Whether it’s a ridiculous law or social norm the lives of millions of people are affected as they face various difficulties when trying to learn new skills, pursue a certain education career, or launch their own business.

Read also: Benefits of Being a Young Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurship can accelerate the impact of people, who want to launch a small business or a program or organization that generates economic and educational welfare opportunities for people and local communities.
For example, small and medium-sized businesses are considered to be the backbone of the Asian economy. SMEs made up 96 percent of all Asian businesses in 2018. The figures are even higher in Latin America and the Caribbean region, where SMEs account for 99.5 percent of firms. Meanwhile, in Africa SMEs make up to 90 percent of private enterprises and provide an estimated 80 percent of jobs.

Regardless of their importance and transformative power, small businesses face major challenges in accessing financing and credit. At the same time, such barriers prevent economic growth, poverty reduction, new jobs, quality education, and skill acquisition, improved health care, decent housing, living conditions, etc.
Further on, it creates a vicious circle. People living in poverty who don’t have equal access to education and training cannot start a small business, even if they could.

Women and other underserved communities have to fight systematic barriers in entrepreneurship. On their part, financial systems tend to leave behind different categories of entrepreneurs. Besides access to the funding, they face other issues such as social norms and expectations, not being taken seriously, stereotypes, life-work balance, lack of support networks and partnership opportunities, business running problems, and the fear of failure. This explains for example why the percentage of self-employed men is higher compared to women. In many cases, the work of women, young, and older people remain unpaid and invisible.

Data confirms that giving rural women the same opportunities as men could raise agricultural production by 2.5 to 4 percent in the poorest regions and the number of malnourished people could be reduced by 12 to 17 percent.
Entrepreneurship training and education provides people of all background equal access to skills and opportunities to launch and grow a small business. While financial and social constraints kill productivity and impede well-being, entrepreneurship allows people of all ages to be aware of their transformative potential and work for the development of their communities.

Reading suggestion: How Gender Issues Kill Agricultural Productivity?

Taking the leap of faith and launching a business can be a daunting enterprise. That’s where the Entrepreneurship Campus comes to your help. Here you can take our training on innovative and sustainable entrepreneurship. It helps you gain new skills and build the right mindset in a short period of time. Remember that, there is not too much time left to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Moreover, the members of the Campus can test their knowledge by participating in the Citizen Entrepreneurship Competition. One can submit either a starting idea or an established project. Afterward, the participants learn how to create their network of support and like-minded people.

Do you like our articles, join and follow us also on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram