Streak of Light


Written by Ruhie Jamshaid • Special Features • March 2011

Nestled between two economic giants, India and China, lies the quaint, land-locked Kingdom of Nepal. The country has a colorful repository of citizens and its women make up a little over fifty percent of the population.

However, despite their numbers, women in Nepal, like many other patriarchal South Asian nations, are relegated to economically secondary roles in society. Nepalese women are reminded from a young age that their roles are primarily in the household and that their status in society is dependant on their husband’s position in society. Career women are not particularly considered superior to their house based compatriots. In fact, interestingly, even women working in good positions in banks and other institutions are first required to ensure that they keep their household duties as a priority. Even where the educational achievements are concerned, there is a stark difference in literacy between the men (63%) and the women (35%).

With such obvious demarcations between the two genders in Nepalese society, it is no wonder that the women’s official representation in the arena of entrepreneurship in the country cuts a sorry figure. Only a dismal number of 7000 women owned businesses are registered in a country where the population of women is approximately 15 million! To add to the woes of women entrepreneurship in Nepal, most of these businesses are small or medium enterprises focusing on traditionally women orientated areas such as the cottage industry, tailoring or food.

There is a streak of light in the darkness. In actual fact, there are thought to be 400, 000 women owned businesses that are functioning unofficially. What is even more encouraging is that many of these businesses are showing promise of growth, especially in the agricultural and cottage industries, where women’s presence is dominant. Nepalese women engaged in these entrepreneurship activities are proving to be hard workers who put in more hours at work on average than even the men. They are also proving their mantle as business leaders. And of course, the cherry on the toping is the financial independence that these women entrepreneurs have achieved.

Needless to say, women entrepreneurship is a sector that should not be taken lightly. Women owned businesses are thought to contribute a staggering 40% to Nepal’s GDP. And although the trend of women entrepreneurship is still at a relatively infancy stage, it is already contributing significantly to Nepal’s economy. One can only imagine the long term benefits to the country’s economy if more women are encouraged to venture into the world of commerce.

Eventually, with the proliferation of women entrepreneurs, there will be a power shift within the current male dominated Nepalese society and the male-female role will be more balanced and equal. More importantly, the girl-child’s prominence will increase in the present patriarchal society and their needs, especially in the realm of education, addressed. Women will hopefully become more literate and financially independent. With educated mothers, there will be educated families and education spells progress, and progress leads to a development of society overall.

Considering the manifold benefits derived by women entering the world of commerce, Nepalese women, indeed need to be encouraged to become entrepreneurs through providing them with the necessary facilities such as training and bank loans. Their success will transform Nepal and propel it towards greater progress, as the small pockets of women entrepreneur industries have already shown.