The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and India’s Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) have recently partnered to empower women entrepreneurs across the country. This partnership is designed to support women who aim to start or expand their enterprises across various sectors, including care economy, digital economy, electric mobility, waste management, food packaging, and more.
Objective and Key Highlights of the Partnership
The primary goal of this joint initiative is to enhance the execution of national-level schemes for urban poverty alleviation and livelihood promotion through capacity building support to DAY-NULM. Additionally, this partnership aims to develop innovative solutions to tackle the obstacles and opportunities encountered by women entrepreneurs, especially in the care economy sector.
This joint project will initially cover eight cities and run over three years, with a possible extension beyond 2025.
The Role of UNDP in the Partnership
The role of UNDP is crucial in offering national-level capacity building support to DAY-NULM. This includes knowledge generation and management such as creating compilations of best practices focused on the eradication of urban poverty.
The UNDP and DAY-NULM will join hands in on-ground mobilization activities, identifying urban poverty spots and potential entrepreneurs. They will facilitate access to business development services. UNDP will be instrumental in developing community business mentors or Biz-Sakhis to assist new and existing businesses.
The Importance of the Initiative
Empowering women entrepreneurs is a strategic action that can assure poverty alleviation, financial independence, and the reshaping of gender norms. The present data shows that women only make up 15% of all entrepreneurs in India. By augmenting this number, the partnership can push for faster economic growth and a healthier society.
Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM)
Launched in 2014 by the Urban Ministry of Housing & Poverty Alleviation, DAY-NULM aims to raise the urban poor by providing sustainable livelihood opportunities through skill development. The mission has so far mobilized over 8.4 million urban poor women across India, forming more than 8,31,000 Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in over 4,000 towns until 2023.
Challenges Faced by Women Entrepreneurs in India
Despite the support and initiatives, women entrepreneurs in India face several challenges. These include gender stereotypes and biases, lack of female mentors and role models, difficulty in maximizing business networks usually dominated by men, societal barriers imposed by patriarchal constructs, and familial constraints. Women also face challenges in raising finance, lack of creditworthiness, and limited avenues for financial management.
Initiatives to Support Women Entrepreneurship in India
Multiple initiatives are coming from the Government of India and state governments to enhance women’s financial inclusivity. Schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, Dena Shakti Scheme, Stand Up India Scheme, Stree Shakti Yojana, Orient Mahila Vikas Yojana, and Annapurna Yojana provide financial assistance to women entrepreneurs.
While these initiatives reflect the positive strides made towards supporting women entrepreneurship in India, ongoing efforts are required to overcome the manifold challenges faced by women in this sector.
