The digital economy is creating vast new opportunities for women in low-and middle-income countries to start and scale businesses, yet many women are being held back by lack of access to capital to fund their ventures, irregular access to the internet, and online gender-based violence, according to new research released by the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women in its report “Empowered or Undermined? Women Entrepreneurs and the Digital Economy. The foundation partnered with Intuit and the World Bank’s “Women, Business and the Law” project to produce the report.
“Despite systemic barriers, many women are turning challenges into innovation every day – offering remote services, using mobile money to reach customers, and building businesses from home,” said Dhivya O’Connor, CEO of the foundation.
Among those surveyed 63% say tools such as social media marketing and digital payments lead to improved business functions. 88% use WhatsApp and74% use Facebook for business.
One entrepreneur from Fiji is marketing her farm produce on social media—and winning her first customers. “This is a significant achievement for me, as I only started farming in 2023 with no prior knowledge,” she told researchers.
Another from Kenya is finding that customers are doing the marketing for her. “Some customers, after being satisfied with the product, share or repost pictures and videos of the business on their accounts, which has been a huge gain for my business,” she shared with researchers.
The foundation offers tailored support, mentorship, and networking to entrepreneurs through its programs to build their confidence and capabilities. It has worked with 300,000 women since 2008.
The researchers surveyed 2,870 women running microbusinesses and small and midsized businesses from 96 low- and middle-income countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, East Asia, the Pacific region, and Sub-Saharan Africa in November and December 2024. The research was conducted by the firm Shared Pathways.
The top ten respondent countries were Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, Pakistan, Botswana, India, Uganda and Zimbabwe. The median age of respondents was 36.5 years old. Forty-two percent have bachelor’s degrees.
The funding gap continues to challenge women entrepreneurs
The research uncovered several key areas where support could make a difference for women entrepreneurs. Eight-seven percent of the women said they need funding for business growth. Many have not yet started using e-commerce platforms, with less than one-third using platforms such as Alibaba, Amazon and Jumia.
More access to the internet could also be a game changer. Although 98% of those surveyed have smartphones, 45% do not have regular internet access. The research found that those without smartphones are 5.5 times less likely to use social media for business and 3.75 times less likely to have a bank account or mobile money account.
Digital harassment and violence force entrepreneurs to use workarounds
Although social media is helping many entrepreneurs spread the word about their products and services, some are limiting the use of social media that could help them win business because it exposes them to harassment such as verbal abuse, unsolicited explicit images, and stalking, according to the report.
Fifty-seven percent of the women surveyed said they had experienced this kind of abuse on social media, and many saw it as a major barrier to doing business safely online.
“Online gender-based violence takes a real toll on women entrepreneurs,” said O’Connor. “Many feel forced to limit their visibility online – and some even step away from digital platforms entirely – which can directly impact their businesses.
A proactive approach can often protect women entrepreneurs, according to O’Connor. That includes using privacy settings well and keeping personal and business profiles separate.
“Many also use tools like secure payment systems and encrypted messaging apps to protect their interactions,” O’Connor said. “When available, digital safety training can make a big difference. These actions help women stay professional and visible online while reducing their vulnerability to threats.”
“Over 75% of the women we spoke to said they take active steps to stay safe, both online and offline,” O’Connor said. “Some screen clients before meeting them, others avoid sharing personal images or names online, and some even rely on trusted male relatives for protection in certain situations.”
The vigilance is ongoing.
One woman from South Africa who shared her story in the report said, “I have experienced some harassment from male ‘customers.’ Some men assume I’m desperate for a sale and try their luck by making suggestive remarks, even though it’s clearly a business number and a business WhatsApp.”
Another from Nigeria shared, “I meet customers at our premises, and when outside, only in public spaces and never alone. I usually go with one or two team members for added security.”
The research found that women who sell exclusively to male customers are three times as likely to receive digital payments exclusively through digital accounts than those selling exclusively to female customers. They are gravitating to this approach to avoid in-person contact.
The foundation asserts that more needs to be done by digital platforms and governments to treat online gender-based violence seriously, said O’Connor.
“We need better reporting tools, user moderation, stronger enforcement, and more public awareness,” she said. “When women feel safe online, they are empowered to fully participate, innovate, and succeed. A safer digital world doesn’t just benefit women – it benefits everyone.”
Education in using new technologies is in high demand
One overriding message of the report is that women in low- and middle-income countries are serious about pursuing entrepreneurship and tackling the challenges that come with it. Many are seeking new skills, with more than one-fifth saying they feel either underprepared or completely unprepared for the wave of new business technologies.
“I would like assistance in learning to design labels and for product photography using a cell phone,” one entrepreneur from South Africa told the researchers. “We don’t have the budget for product shoots to compete with big brands or the resources to create labels for products.”
However, with free and low-cost technologies leveling the playing field every day, many of these entrepreneurs are continuing to move forward with the resources they have–and establishing staying power for their businesses.
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