About the report
Based on a survey of 400 self-employed women across 10 metros in India, the latest report provides insights into their unique circumstances as entrepreneurs.
- It examines their sources of business funding, banking habits, digital payment preferences, adoption of sustainability measures, and workforce dynamics.
- Additionally, the report delves into challenges such as perceptions of gender bias and analyses how factors like age, income level, and geographical location shape their decisions.
- It identifies critical areas where these women seek support and opportunities for business enablement.
Through this report, we aim to offer insights that can help shape initiatives to empower women entrepreneurs across the nation.
Highlights
Key insights derived from conversations with over 400 self-employed women across 10 cities in India
of self-employed women use personal property or gold as collateral
of self-employed women have not taken a business loan
of self-employed women insure their businesses
of self-employed women have implemented an environmental sustainability policy
of self-employed women perceive gender bias
View from the top
The insights from the DBS Women and Finance study will have implications for policymaking, the financial sector, and society at large. It will enable us to design products and services that better cater to the financial aspirations of women and break down barriers faced by them.
More importantly, it will allow us to participate in an important conversation on female financial empowerment and amplify perspectives that need to be heard.
The insights from our latest 'Women and Finance' report outline key areas where we can make an impact. We see opportunities to boost awareness and adoption of government entitlements through education and training. There is a need to build entrepreneurial ecosystems with networking platforms and communities that foster collaboration, mentorship, skill-building, and knowledge exchange to accelerate growth for women in business.
The latest report in our ‘Women and Finance’ series offers an overview of the current landscape for women entrepreneurs and underscores both the progress we have made as well as the areas where further support is required. It is encouraging to see that a substantial number of women entrepreneurs are adopting digital payment solutions and integrating sustainability practices into their businesses.
However, the report also identifies critical gaps that should be addressed, such as limited awareness of government schemes and the need for more holistic support beyond financial assistance. By addressing these challenges in the ecosystem, we can better support the growth of women-led enterprises and drive meaningful, positive change.