"This report is an output of the ANDE Gender Action Lab. Authored by Villgro and LEAD At Krea University, this report publishes insights from a survey of over 800 SMEs on how women entrepreneurs access finance in the country. Combining insights from the desk research, demand-side survey and supply-side key informant interviews, the report suggests recommendations across three verticals: program, process and product, with government initiatives as anchors for scaling up."

"In 2016, the United Nations established the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a “blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all”,1 with goal five focusing specifically on gender equality. While progress has been made, women and girls continue to face a myriad of barriers to achieve the same quality of life as their male counterparts, be it in education, political participation, or business investment to name but a few.

Women entrepreneurs are of particular focus in the international development community; while active in the entrepreneurial space, there is significant evidence that women business owners face unique challenges compared to men business owners - often overlooked in terms of investment and business support services. This is particularly pronounced in developing economies."