Gender Mainstreaming: The Role Entrepreneurs Can Play and Why ...

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INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTRE UNCTAD/WTO Page 2 Why is Gender Mainstreaming Important? For women to grow their businesses and expand in an increasingly competitive world, they have to have equal access to the opportunities, support and benefits that male owned businesses have. While women focused business associations and networks can be very helpful and supportive to women owned service businesses and women often start their businesses by providing services to other women owned businesses, it is crucial that women become integrated into the Chambers of Commerce, professional networks, associations, trade initiatives and trade opportunities that men have access to. Being recommended by male colleagues or being active in ‘mainstream’ networks can automatically increase the credibility of women owned service businesses and broaden their markets. When women entrepreneurs are included in mainstream fora, chambers, discussions and networks, and research, they have a profound influence in a variety of ways. Participation brings increased awareness of the role and success of women. It increases the visibility of women and increases the potential for more business and growth. Participation of women entrepreneurs can influence the way new policy is made and alter government programs so that they do not exclude or hinder women entrepreneurs. Discussions at conferences take on a different tone and become more relevant to the needs of women entrepreneurs. Women are interesting! Their businesses are interesting. Why exclude willing players who want to make a positive contribution? It is just more fun to have women involved! Recognizing the Barriers Barriers to women and their participation exist in a variety of ways: formal or implied. Typically, women entrepreneurs are excluded from mainstream networks, trade missions, conferences, associations, chambers and business development initiatives for economic reasons – the price is just to high to participate! The cost of joining or participating in events is often beyond what most small (hence women owned) businesses can afford. Even when women are willing to pay the entry price, they may deem that there are better uses of their money with a better return on their investments. The ‘culture’ of established networks can be intimidating and uninviting to women. Timing and venues of events may be inconvenient for women with families The Role That Women Entrepreneurs Can Play Entrepreneurs can play a unique role in breaking down the barriers to women and increasing the full participation of women in business. By nature, entrepreneurs are innovative and innovators who are risk takers! They are leaders who are in a unique position to lead by example. Entrepreneurs are creative and want to do business! They do not have to be bound by traditional rules but can make their own as they go along – entrepreneurs can create a whole new way of doing business! The most important thing that they can do is get involved. Become visible. Whether this is through networking or networks, the more visible and involved women are, the higher the potential to be ‘invited’ to participate in mainstream fora. Networking with men in positions of influence can be very effective, Leading women entrepreneurs can play a vital role in breaking down barriers for women who are not as visible – indeed they have a responsibility to speak for those who can not speak for themselves and to assist in accessing opportunities for more women. In order for women to break out of the cycle of small, local businesses, they have to have access to ‘the larger
INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTRE UNCTAD/WTO Page 3 market’ and this can be through chambers, conferences, trade missions, trade associations and businesses that have traditionally been more open to men. Large companies have a role to play in opening opportunities for women entrepreneurs as well. Women entrepreneurs are not only suppliers of goods and services, but we are also users of goods and services. We purchase raw materials, we bank at financial institutions, we use telephones, computers, couriers, office supplies, professional advisers – all the goods and services that any business uses. Individually our businesses may be small at the moment, but collectively we represent a very large and growing market. Who to ‘target’ – Spheres of Influence, Decision Makers, Potential Champions Look around to see who the leaders are: who do you want to target? Everyone knows who they are: the spheres of influence, the decision makers, the networks, but most of all, who can you enlist to be ‘champions’ for women entrepreneurs. Champions are found when you least expect it: other successful women, politicians, civil servants, high profile men, business people and they exist in the: v Public sector v Private sector v Associations and networks How To Do It – Get Involved Gender mainstreaming in the context of businesswomen is all about inclusion and recognition. The best way to achieve this is to just get involved. The following are some general guidelines that are helpful: ‣ Identify issues and why - what is it that you want to be included in and why aren’t women included? Often this is for economic reasons – if so, look for alternative. For example if it is too costly for women to join chambers or organizations then look for alternatives such as a woman representative or having an associate relationship through another organization such as a women’s organizations. If the conferences are too expensive to attend, then nominate women as speakers or even volunteers to assist in organizing, providing services or participation in promotion – the key is to get included and get in the door; ‣ Define desired outcomes – before you start, determine what is your desired outcome – is it women on trade missions, more women members, more women speakers, better policy for women, - determine the desired outcomes and be strategic in achieving them; ‣ Show how the objectives will provide benefits for women – often the benefits to women are not instant or obvious so show how women can benefit from a more inclusive business community; ‣ Show how the participation of women can be sought – as in the model illustrated below, it may be necessary to actually show how women can be identified and solicited – when women are not part of the formal sector or business community, it is too easy to assume that they do not exist, or are not interested - therefore women have to be active in identifying each other;
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