Supporting Women Entrepreneurs in Developing Countries: What Works? Revisiting the Evidence Base

Overview & Synopsis

This paper presents the findings of a systematic review synthesizing evidence on what works to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries. It covers both the evidence of constraints women entrepreneurs are facing and evidence of intervention effectiveness in four focus areas: GENto finance, access to skills and networks, access to markets and technology, and an enabling environment. The review also identifies evidence gaps and highlights research opportunities for each focus area. The paper’s main contribution is a conceptual and comprehensive mapping of the literature, classifying the strength and direction of evidence across various interventions. It provides a dynamic view of how the literature is evolving, highlights where evidence gaps remain, and is intended as a resource for both researchers and policymakers/practitioners.