Cherie Blair Foundation for Women转发了
Today we launch ground-breaking new research on the experiences and challenges of women entrepreneurs low and middle income countries, ‘Empowered or Undermined? Women Entrepreneurs and the Digital Economy’, in partnership with Intuit and with The World Bank's Women, Business and the Law project. Read here: https://lnkd.in/gTAbrDVu Released for International Women’s Day, our report particularly focuses on the role of technology in women’s businesses, examining how online gender-based violence (GBV) shapes women’s behaviour and digital inclusion, how women use digital tools like social media, AI, e-commerce and Mobile Money, and digital technology's broader implications for their businesses. Key findings include: ?? Although 92% of respondents own a personal smartphone,?45% do not have regular internet access. ?? Social media is a vital tool for women's businesses—88% of women use WhatsApp and 74% use Facebook for business—yet e-commerce adoption remains low, with only 31% using such platforms for business. ?? Women entrepreneurs without smartphones are?5.5 times less likely to use social media for business and 3.75 times less likely to have a bank account or mobile money account. ?? Online GBV is a major challenge for women entrepreneurs.?57% of women report having personally experienced at least one form of GBV over social media, and?16% of women report?safety and security concerns?as a key barrier to accessing mobile internet. ?? Privacy and safety concerns are major factors shaping women’s online and offline business journeys.?More than one in five respondents fear potential harassment from male customers, and 77% take proactive safety measures to protect themselves. ?? Women entrepreneurs are far more likely to use digital payments with male customers than female, illustrating a desire to minimise physical interactions with male customers. ?? 38% of women currently use AI – however just over one-fifth feel either underprepared or completely unprepared for the wave of new business technologies. ?? Over half of women request skills and/or training support to tackle the challenges they face, particularly in digital marketing and AI. We call for urgent action from global stakeholders to dismantle these barriers and create a more inclusive and thriving business environment for women entrepreneurs in 2025 and beyond. Read and download the full report here: https://lnkd.in/gTAbrDVu #AccelerateAction #IWD25 #InternationalWomensDay #GBV #DigitalTechnology
Thank you for sharing this report. Many women can resonate with these findings.
This is such an important report, providing so many insights into the experiences and challenges women entrepreneurs are facing. Well done to all involved!
Congratulations to my colleagues on their work on this important report – it offers some fascinating insights. Proud to be part of an organisation that delivers such vital work!
So many important insights have come to light from this groundbreaking report! Congratulations to all those involved!
Such an insightful report - so many learnings for practitioners in this space.
This report is so timely! So proud to have partnered with you all on this important research!
We are deeply moved by the findings shared in this important report. The challenges women entrepreneurs face in low and middle-income countries, particularly regarding access to technology and the alarming rise of online gender-based violence, cannot be overlooked. We’d love to be part of the solution, helping to raise awareness through powerful storytelling, potentially through film or other media. Thank you for inspiring us to take action!