| Popis: |
Gender inequality worldwide results in women’s economic exclusion from formal economic value chains where they could get more income and decent jobs. A way to empower women may reside in building suitable business models which are gender-aware and inclusive of vulnerable people. This research used a systemic approach with a critical inter-subjectivity to investigate the mechanisms leading to women survival entrepreneurs-WSEs’ economic empowerment in Ouagadougou. It first assessed the literature and policy documents, and used three main methods for data collection: focus group discussions, a survey and life histories. Three methods were used to analyse the data: focus group content analysis, descriptive statistics and causality analysis. Causality analysis used among others quantile regression models to analyse women’s empowerment outcomes and particularly their profit making. The results show that gender-aware inclusive business models effectively contribute to WSEs’ economic empowerment by improving their material and financial and their non-material gains. This is feasible through the changes such businesses bring to their various resources or capabilities such as time, space, material, human capital, natural resources and social/professional relations. Human capital and time resources have proven to be the key channels through which this type of business can economically empower women. Also, gender-aware inclusive business models are socially beneficial as they contribute to increasing their agency and freedom both at the household and community levels. In conclusion, WSEs need to be supported in self-organization and enabling their transition to women food entrepreneurs with a growth-oriented objective within a competitive environment. |
