| Abstract:
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This brief emphasizes the fact that rural women are increasingly running their own enterprises, although these are largely in informal, micro-size, low productivity, low-return activities that are traditionally female (producing/processing agricultural products for local markets, handicrafts, and petty trading). The brief points out causes such as discriminatory laws, regulations and social norms, women’s limited access to education, training and information and to financial and business services, and the largely informal, small-scale nature of their enterprises that constrains their ability to engage in economies of scale and more profitable domestic and export markets. The policy recommendations call for a better enabling environment for women’s entrepreneurship and measures to improve their entrepreneurial skills and to develop gender-sensitive financial and business services.
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