Countries: Kenya
Variables: ERBG-PRACTICE-4

"Another limiting factor for women could be the often bureaucratic registration processes. Given that other societal and family obligations are borne by women, more men are able to attend to these procedures, often located at government premises. Lastly, the other constraint might be the lack of access to other property that could be converted or help facilitate access to cash for business registration. Historical gender inequalities in terms of property ownership exacerbate the inequality problem by hindering access to funding which is necessary for business establishment and formalisation" (para 10).

Countries: Afghanistan
Variables: ERBG-PRACTICE-4

"A lack of identity documentation can also limit women’s mobility, land ownership, access to finance, and employment opportunities, as illustrated by the cases of Afghanistan" (41).

Countries: Bahamas
Variables: ERBG-PRACTICE-4

"Women were generally free from economic discrimination, and the law provides for equal pay for equal work. The law provides for the same legal status and rights for women as for men; however, women reported it was more difficult for them to qualify for credit and to own a business" (12).

Countries: Bulgaria
Variables: ERBG-PRACTICE-4

"The absence of measures, including temporary special measures and targeted programmes, to support women’s entrepreneurship and promote their economic empowerment [is a concern]… The lack of information on loan schemes and other forms of financial credit for women and the lack of specific training on entrepreneurial skills [is also a concern]" (11). "[T]argeted measures, including skills training and technical education, and facilitate women’s access to loans and other forms of financial credit, in order to support and stimulate women’s entrepreneurship and promote their economic empowerment, in particular in rural areas [are not adopted]" (12). These aims are not developed (MV- coder comment).

Countries: Azerbaijan
Variables: ERBG-PRACTICE-4

"On May 7, 2019, the State Agro Trade Company has started the project of Azerbaijani Women with Agricultural Activities (AFAG) jointly with UN FAO. The aim of project is to facilitate the access of women to the markets to sell their products, form female entrepreneurs that can build their businesses in agriculture, increase their knowledge in marketing and sales and help them to create their small production enterprises and greenhouses. This project will open up more opportunities of women ’s access to markets, employment, information and resources. It will create the conditions to improve social and economic livelihoods of women" (34).

Countries: Azerbaijan
Variables: ERBG-PRACTICE-4

"[A]lmost 100 women have participated at the [Azerbaijani Rural Investment Project (ARIP)] in 2018 and new businesses were established. They are allocated five year long loans in the amount of AZN5,000 (approximately USD2,947). This project has organized zonal gender workshops in districts, and each event has attracted 100 women from 44 communities into training" (31). "The measures are also undertaken to help women living in remote and mountainous areas of the country and in territories of temporary living of IDPS to start their private businesses and farms. As a result, we observe an increasing number of female entrepreneurs in recent years" (32).

Countries: Azerbaijan
Variables: ERBG-PRACTICE-4

"[T]he investment promotion mechanisms are created in accordance with the Decree 745 of 18 January 2016 on Additional Measures for Investments Promotion signed by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan to support the creation of new industrial enterprises and attract investments to local investment areas. It is also aimed at creation of favorable climate granting tax and customs privileges to legal persons and individual entrepreneurs in area of industrial production. Women benefit in particular of this support to develop their businesses" (29). "To help women to run entrepreneurial activities, 22 women were invited to the Entrepreneurship Basics courses organized by the State Employment Service under the Ministry of Labor...more

Countries: Nepal
Variables: ERBG-PRACTICE-4

"Shrestha, 31, is among a new generation of Nepali women shattering societal expectations and the glass ceiling in Nepal’s male-dominated mountaineering industry. Not only has she climbed seven of Nepal’s 8,000m-plus peaks, she completed them in four years and eight months, becoming the fastest Nepali woman to do so. Now she has her sights set on becoming one of the few people in the world to complete the 14-summit challenge" (para.2).

Countries: Bolivia
Variables: ERBG-PRACTICE-4

"Specific financial programmes were implemented that benefit women, such as the Seed Capital Fund, in which a large number of women entrepreneurs, technicians and professionals, and micro and small production units, received basic funding for micro and small productive units" (26). Specific programs could indicate a gender discrimination in access to credit (MV-coder comment).

Countries: Ethiopia
Variables: ERBG-PRACTICE-4

"Universities are implementing programs to help female students that have not been able to academically progress. Some government universities have remedial programs that consist of short-term skill trainings in different areas like Information Technology (IT), surveying, hotel management, hairdressing and secretary in TVET Colleges. This intervention helps female students to start their own business or get employment. During the remedial program, female students are provided with dormitory and cafeteria service at the University" (15).

Countries: Bulgaria
Variables: ERBG-PRACTICE-4

“Women entrepreneurs appear to have a restricted network structure. However, informal sources of information are used more often than formal ones, no matter whether the question is about internal and external markets, or about specific information for the management of a firm. More women entrepreneurs contact their friends and families (59 per cent); their clients (51 per cent); their partners (41 per cent), and business collaborators (37 per cent), than business associations, chambers of commerce or women’s NGOs. Only a small percentage (8 per cent) stated that they would consult other businesswomen. Businesswomen active in the hotels and restaurants management, in particular, rely on personal contacts (73 per cent of...more

Countries: Albania, Hungary, Russia
Variables: ERBG-PRACTICE-4

“In Albania, 40 per cent of women-owned companies used family savings to start-up their enterprise; in Hungary this figure is approximately 26 per cent. In contrast, 22 per cent of Russian businesswomen used formal sources (a bank credit), which is higher than in any of the other transition countries documented.”

Countries: Bulgaria
Variables: ERBG-PRACTICE-4

“Opportunity-driven entrepreneurship is slightly higher among women than men in Bulgaria and the gap in participation in early-stage entrepreneurial activities is much lower than the EU average. Nonetheless, it is estimated that gender gaps remain significant in participation in self-employment, part-time employment; entrepreneurship and decision-making processes” (26). “The under-representation of women among entrepreneurs and managers can be attributed to gender specific challenges and empirical research indicates a gender gap in perception of barriers to business creation. Obstacles often cited by women include a lack of business idea and difficulties combining self-employment with family responsibilities” (26). “Indeed, Bulgarian women still bear most of responsibility of care for family and dependents, limiting...more

Countries: Bulgaria
Variables: ERBG-PRACTICE-4

“Alternatively, more and more mothers are looking for opportunities in some form of economic activity – own business, small family business, partnership. Extremely important for mothers is the possibility of new, flexible forms of employment and business activity, balancing with the obligations at home. In addition to funding programs and sources of financing, mothers are trying to find appropriate legal form for doing business, and a relevant tax framework. There is also a lack of supporting structures – business incubators, accelerators, networks” (second paragraph). “Young mothers find the most support in their family, with grandparents and close relatives traditionally involved in raising children and helping family or family businesses. Many...more

Countries: Kyrgyzstan
Variables: ERBG-PRACTICE-4

"The Committee [on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women] recommends that the State party...[p]romote women's access to markets for their goods and products and economically protect women's intergenerational intellectual property in their textile, artisanal and craft production" (13). "The Committee notes with concern…[t]he concentration of women's entrepreneurship in low-profit sectors, such as wholesale and retail trade and agriculture, and in home-based work" (13). "The Committee...notes with concern...[r]ural women's very limited access to land ownership and agricultural assets and the low percentage of women leading small agribusinesses and working on contracts in agriculture" (13-14).