Women Empowerment through Entrepreneurship and ICT

Deepak Mitra
Research Scholar, Magadh University, Bodhgaya, Gaya India-824234
Res : 70/A Rampur Near Gaya College, Gaya-823001 (Bihar)
d_mitra123@yahoo.com #9472663820
Abstract
Keywords : Women Empowerment, Gender equality, Entrepreneurship, ICT
A nation can only be developed if its women are given ample opportunities.
Developing entrepreneurship among women will be right approach for women
empowerment. This would enhance their socio-economic status. Once a woman
feels that she is economically strong, she will feel equal to man in all respect. This
is perhaps the need of the hour.
The term women empowerment has come to occupy an important position
globally over the years. Educational attainment and economic participation are the
key constituents in ensuring empowerment of women. The economic empowerment
of women is a vital element of strong economic growth in any country.
Entrepreneurship happens to be one of the best ways towards self sufficiency and
poverty alleviation for women in a country where employment is not guaranteed.
Involvement of

women in

entrepreneurial activities would

ensure

effective

utilization of labour, generation of income and hence improvement in quality of life.

Women empowerment through entrepreneurship is a must for a modern developed
economy.
Information

and

communication

technologies

(ICTs) are

emerging

as

increasingly valuable business tools for women entrepreneurs in developing

countries. Making sure that women entrepreneurs are quipped to make productive
use of such technologies is important from the perspective of achieving and
promoting gender equality and empowering women.
Introduction
INTRODUCTION

ICT opens up a direct window for women to the outside world. Information
now flows to them without distortion or any form of censoring, and they have
access to same information as their male counterpart. ICT are closely linked to
power and the ability to affect change. It can create new opportunities by
expanding information flows and by making communications more accessible,
people living in poverty can make better choices, voice their opinions, demand their
rights and have more power over their own lives. Information technology has
become a potent force in transforming social, economic, and political life globally.
The importance of mainstreaming a gender equality perspective into the
process of building an Information Society was underlined in the Declaration of
Principles of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) adopted
by more than 175 countries in 2003: We affirm that Development of ICTs provides
enormous opportunities for women, who should be an integral part of, and key
actors, in the Information Society. We are committed to ensuring that the
Information Society.
Empowerment
Women

Empowerment refers

to

increasing

the

spiritual,

political,

social,

educational, gender, or economic strength of individuals and communities of

women. Empowerment is probably the totality of the following or similar capabilities

Decision-Making power of their own

Access to information and resources for taking proper decision

Having a range of options /choices

Assertiveness in collective decision making

Positive thinking on the ability to make change

Ability to learn skills.

Ability to change others perceptions by democratic means.

Involving in the growth process and changes that is never ending and selfinitiated

Increasing ones positive self-image and overcoming stigma

Women Entrepreneurs
An entrepreneur is a person who combines capital and labor for production.
According to Cantillion "entrepreneur is the agent who buys means of production at
certain prices, in order to sell at prices that are certain at the moment at which he
commits himself to his cost". According to P.F Drucker " he is one who always (1)
searches for change (2) responds to it (3) exploits it as an opportunity." Women
Entrepreneurs may be defined as the women or a group of women who initiate,
organize and operate a business enterprise. Government of India has defined
women entrepreneurs as an enterprise owned and controlled by a women having a
minimum financial interest of 51% of the capital and giving at least 51% of
employment generated in the enterprise to women.
Types of Women Entrepreneurs

Affluent Entrepreneurs : Entrepreneurs who are from rich business families.

Push Factors : Push factors are elements of necessity such as insufficient
family income, dissatisfaction with salaries job, difficulty in finding work and a

need for flexible work schedule because of family responsibilities.

Pull Factors : Factors that work as entrepreneurial drive factors relate to
independence, self-fulfillment, entrepreneurial drive and desire for wealth,
power and social status, co-operation and support of family members and a

strong network of contacts.

Self Employed Entrepreneurs : Poor and very poor women in villages and
town rely heavily on their own efforts for sustenance. Eg. Candle making,

Agarbatti making, supply of tea to offices, tiffin services.

Rural Enterprises : Women in rural areas/villages start enterprises which
needs less organization, risk and skill. Eg. Dairy products, pickle, pappad,
jaggery making.

Status of women entrepreneurs in India

Entrepreneurship is considered as one of the most important factors
contributing to the development of society. India has been ranked among the worst
performing countries in the area of women entrepreneurship in gender-focused

global entrepreneurship survey, released in July 2013 by PC maker Dell and

Washington based consulting firm Global Entrepreneurship and Development
Institute (GEDI). Of the 17 countries surveyed India ranks 16th, just above
Uganda. Countries like Turkey, Morocco and Egypt have outperformed India. Status
of higher education in women in India came out to be lower than most countries in
the world. At present, womens entrepreneurial role is limited in the large scale
industries and technology based businesses. But even in small scale industries, the
womens participation is very low. As per the third all-India census of Small Scale
Industries, only 10.11% of the micro and small enterprises were owned by women,
and only 9.46% of them were managed by women. While the number of women
operating their own business is increasing globally, women continue to face huge
obstacles that stunt the growth of their businesses, such as lack of capital, strict
social constraints, and limited time and skill.
ICTs have become essential enablers of socioeconomic development ... Todays
and tomorrows technologies will help bring the Millennium Development Goals
within reach. (Ban Ki-Moon Secretary-General United Nations)
What is ICT?
Information and Communication Technologies broadly refer to set of
activities that facilitateby electronic meansthe capturing, storage, processing,
transmission,

and

display

of

information.

Information

and

Communications

Technology is "an umbrella term that includes computer hardware and software;
digital broadcast and telecommunications technologies as well as electronic
information repositories such as the World Wide Web or those found on CD-ROMs
(Selwyn 2002). It represents a broad and continually evolving range of elements
that further includes television (TV), radio, mobile phones, and the policies and
laws that govern these media and devices"
ICT and Women
In the recent past, ICTs have been added to the women and gender equality
debate. ICTs are being presented as a tool having potential to benefit womens
empowerment and a number of ICT projects that specifically target women have
been established in several developed and underdeveloped countries. ICT offer the

opportunities for direct, interactive communication even by those who lack skills,
who are illiterate, lack mobility and have little self-confidence.
ICTs can play a crucial role in empowering women entrepreneurs, especially when
coupled with policies addressing constraints that they face at the macro and
systemic level.
ICTs are especially well adapted for women entrepreneurs who are often juggling
family with entrepreneurial responsibilities and can benefit strongly from the time
efficiencies and location flexibilities which ICTs make possible.
Empowering women entrepreneurs through ICTs requires a multi-stakeholder
effort. There is a need for collaboration between governments, the private sector,
business intermediaries and civil society to support the use of different ICTs among
women entrepreneurs. It is also important that the perspective of women
entrepreneurs at the grass-root level can be effectively brought to the attention of
policy makers, which are often men.
The diversity of women entrepreneurs was emphasized. The value of different
ICTs to a woman entrepreneur varies depending on the nature and size of business,
the geographical location, industry and the capabilities needed to make use of the
technology.
Womens entrepreneurship associations can play an important role in helping to
bring

ICTs

to

women

entrepreneurs,

especially

in

developing

countries.

Strengthening the ICT capacity of such associations in developing countries may be

an effective strategy.
ICT capacity-building and training is essential for women entrepreneurs to benefit
from the opportunities which ICTs offer. Literacy constraints where many women
cannot read or write constrain their use of certain ICTs. Basic training which show
women entrepreneurs how to use mobile phones, computers, social media and
other ICTs are strongly needed.
The lack of ICT and electricity infrastructure in rural areas often makes access
impossible in rural areas. There is a need to accelerate the effective implementation
of relevant infrastructure for women entrepreneurs in rural areas to benefit.

Here are some aspects of life which have a direct influence of ICT
especially on women:
(i) Womens increased access to job Market and improve entrepreneurship using
ICT
(ii) Increase of average household income in villages
(iii) Women empowerment
(iv) Shrinking Information Asymmetry through ICT.
(v) Improved Governance
(vi) Indigenous Knowledge
(vii) Easy-Family communication
(viii) Increase Social awareness
Strategies for ICT for women Entrepreneurship
A proper framework of the strategies for all actors involved for ICT
entrepreneurship is a must. The reason is that infrastructure for the ICT or ICT
based entrepreneurship cannot be created by individuals. The major actors are
academia, government and business.
Academia: Academia needs to develop both entrepreneurial skills and ICT skills
among entrepreneurs. The curriculum of training program or even general
education programs must include early education on financial management and
planning skills, early education on entrepreneurial skills, and encourage students to
explore entrepreneurial pursuits during school term as part of credit. It must
include early start to ICT skills and use of ICT tools for teaching. It should
encourage usage of ICT and highlight role models.
Conclusions
The elimination of obstacles for women entrepreneurship requires a major
change in traditional attitudes and mindsets of people in society rather than being
limited to only creation of opportunities for women. Hence, it is imperative to
design programmes that will address to attitudinal changes, training, supportive

services. The basic requirement in development of women entrepreneurship is to

make aware the women regarding her existence, her unique identity and her
contribution towards the economic growth and development of country. The basic
instinct of entrepreneurship should be tried to be reaped into the minds of the
women from their childhood. This could be achieved by carefully designing the
curriculum that will impart the basic knowledge along with its practical implication
regarding management (financial, legal etc.) of an enterprise.
Some suggestions to increase the role of women entrepreneurs:

Infrastructure Infrastructure set up plays a vital role for any enterprise.

Government can set some priorities for women entrepreneurs for allocation of

industrial plots, sheds and other amenities.

Personality Development-Attempts should be there to enhance the standards
of education of women in general as well making effective provisions for their
training, practical experience and personality development programmes, to

improvise their over-all personality standards.

Self help groups of women entrepreneurs- Self help groups of women

entrepreneurs can mobilize resources and pool capital funds to help the women
in the field of industry, trade and commerce.
Business Development Training Programs It includes basic day-to-day
management training like how to keep track of accounts, handle taxes and
understand compliance rules and regulations. They can also focus on strategy
and the long-range success of a business from writing a business plan to
targeting specific markets, along with product innovation within business

clusters and incubators.

Access to Finance Programs- Efforts to facilitate access to finance for women
entrepreneurs typically encompass initiatives that reform restrictive bank and
regulatory policies. Such reforms accept less traditional forms of collateral, look
at a lenders willingness to repay and simplify business registry. They also help
financial institutions develop innovative loan and savings products for female

entrepreneurs.
Forums To establish all India forums to discuss the problems, grievances,
issues, and filing complaints against constraints or shortcomings towards the
economic progress path of women entrepreneurs and giving suitable decisions .

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