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intheArabRegion

TheRoleofInformationandCommunicationTechnology(ICT)

UNITEDNATIONS

IqCHjJI

BES

EconomicandSocialCommissionforWesternAsia

PropellingWomenintoEntrepreneurship

intheArabRegion

TheRoleofInformationandCommunication

Technology(ICT)

0

UnitedNations

Beirut

©2021UnitedNations

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Acknowledgement

ThisstudywasdevelopedbytheEconomicThestudywascoordinatedbyMs.RoubaArja,

andSocialCommissionforWesternAsiaSocialAffairsofficer,ESCWAClusteronGender

(ESCWA)aspartofitseffortstopromoteJustice,PopulationandInclusiveDevelopment

genderequalityandwomen'sempowerment(GPID)undertheoverallguidanceofMs.

intheArabregionandtoraisetheawarenessMehrinazElAwady,GPIDClusterLeader.Itis

ofArabcountriesontheimportanceofbasedonaninitialdraftpreparedbyMs.Jennifer

informationandcommunicationtechnologiesOlmsted,ProfessorofEconomicsandDirectorof

toachievethe2030AgendaforSustainabletheSocialEntrepreneurshipSemester,Drew

Development,particularlyGoal5onGenderUniversity.Thestudybenefitedfromsubstantial

Equality.inputfromMs.RoubaArjaandMs.Sarah

Copland,AssociateSocialAffairsOfficer(GPID).

Itbuildsonastudypublishedin2019titled

InformationandCommunicationTechnologies:TheauthorsthankMs.NadaDarwazeh,Chief,

ProspectsforPromotingGenderEqualityintheGenderEquality(GPID)forherconstructive

ArabRegion.reviewofthemanuscript.

Contents

Page

Acknowledgementiii

Introduction1

I.Settingthescene:Women'sentrepreneurshipintheArabregion6

A.FramingtheconceptofentrepreneurshipforwomenintheArabregion7

B.EntrepreneurshipintheArabregion:Highlevelsofinformality13

C.TheentrepreneurialenvironmentintheArabregion:Multiplechallenges14

D.Recommendations23

II.ChallengesfacingwomenentrepreneursintheArabregion24

A.Educationalanddigitalreadiness26

B.Labourforceparticipation32

C.Accesstofinance35

D.Timeconstraintsrelatedtotheburdenofunpaidwork38

E.Legalbarriers/constraintsonmobility38

F.Recommendations42

III.UsingICTtosupportwomenentrepreneurs44

A.RoleofICTsinstrengtheningwomen'sentrepreneurialreadiness46

B.Overcomingmobilityandtimeconstraints55

C.Accessinginformationandbuildingnetworks56

D.Communicationsandmarketing58

IV.Conclusionsandrecommendations61

A.Conclusions61

B.Recommendations63

References65

Listoftables

Table1.Femalefirmownership,asapercentofallfirms,intheArabStates12

Table2.Self-EmploymentasapercentoftotalemploymentintheArabregion14

Table3.AccountholdingintheArabregion16

Table4.AccountholdinginArabStates17

Table5.UseofinternettopaybillsintheArabStates22

Table6.LiteracyrateintheArabStates27

Table7.IndividualsusingtheInternetintheArabStates30

Table8.Labourforceparticipationin2018intheArabStates33

Table9.Unemploymentin2018intheArabStates34

Table10,Women,businessandtheLawIndex:Entrepreneurship39

Listofboxes

Box1.Entrepreneurshipasacatalystforsustainabledevelopment8

Box2.AccesstoICTs46

Box3.Usingmobilephonestoboostfemaleliteracy48

Box4.IncreasingaccesstomobilebankinginJordan51

Box5.Intellectualpropertyrightsandwomen'sentrepreneurship54

Box6.ICTstoincreaseaccesstoinformation57

Introduction

BackgroundWomen'sentrepreneurshipisanimportant

strategyforadvancingtheeconomic

Today,thereisagrowingawarenessthatempowermentofwomenwhilealsoreducing

empoweringwomenintheeconomyandgenderinequality.IntheArabregion,the

closingthegendergapintheworldofworkpromotionofwomen*sentrepreneurshiphas

areessentialtorealizinggenderequality.Thisgainedtractionoverthepastdecadeandisoften

awarenessisarticulatedinthe2030Agendaseenasavaluableapproachforcreatingjobs

forSustainableDevelopment,whichstrivestowithinagenerallydiscriminatoryenvironment.In

"achievefullandproductiveemploymentandtheArabregion,womenhavefoundedorare

decentworkforallwomenandmen,includingleadingoneinthreeInternetstart-upsinthe

foryoungpeopleandpersonswithdisabilities,region.2Despitedevelopmentssuchasthis,the

andequalpayforworkofequalvalue”GlobalEntrepreneurshipMonitor(GEM)found

(SustainableDevelopmentGoal(SDG)8,targetthatin10MiddleEastandNorthAfrica(MENA)

8.5)and“toachievegenderequalityandeconomies,forevery10meninvolvedinearly-

empowerallwomenandgirls”(SDG5).stageentrepreneurialactivity,sevenownor

manageanestablishedbusiness;whereasfor

Whenwomenareempoweredtoparticipateevery10womenengagedinearly-stage

equallyintheeconomy,theyareabletotakeentrepreneurialactivity,onlyslightlymorethan

controlovertheirownlives,timeandbodies,fourwomenareengagedinanestablished

andtheyhaveagreatervoice,agencyandabilitybusiness.3Thiswidegendergapbetweenearly-

tomeaningfullyparticipateineconomicstageandestablishedentrepreneurialactivity

decision-makingatalllevels,fromthesuggeststhatbusinessesfoundedbywomenare

householdtointernationalinstitutions.Alackofnotsurvivingatthesamerateasthosefounded

employmentopportunitiesforwomenresultsinbymen.

largeeconomiccostsnotonlyforthem,butalso

fortheirhouseholds,communitiesandcountries.InordertosupportArabwomeninrealizing

Globalevidencesuggeststhatwomen'stheirfulleconomicpotential,itiscrucialto

economicadvancementinturnleadstoincreasedunderstandthebroaderentrepreneurial

investmentsinchildrenandreducedhouseholdlandscapecharacterizedbyhighinformalityand

povertybecausewomenoftenspendagreateritislikewisecrucialtounderstandandaddress

shareoftheirincomeontheirchildren'snutrition,thechallengesthatprospectiveandexisting

healthcareandeducation.1womenentrepreneursintheArabregionface.

1http://documents1,/curated/pt/758041468340239015/pdf/wps4349.pdf.

2/female-entrepreneurs-arab-world/.

3/docserver/9789264213944-6-

en.pdf?expires=1566292280;id=idoccname=ocidl95767&hecksum=D7BAFD83125FFA8ABEF413ClA8E318FD.

TheCOVID-19pandemicissignificantlyTranslatingdigitalengagementintobusiness

influencingtheentrepreneurshipenvironmentsuccessdependsonanindividuaPsconcreteuse

byexacerbatingexistingchallengesand/orofICT,aswellasdigitalskillsandmotivations,

creatingnewones.Nonetheless,opportunitieswhichinturnrelatetocontextualfactors,suchas

fornewbusinessesandnewapproachestosocial,economicandculturalstatus.6However,

conductbusinessareemerging.4differencesinresourcesandtheabilitytoaccess

andeffectivelyutiliseICTswithinandbetween

Today,informationandcommunicationcountries,regions,sectorsandsocio-economic

technologies(ICTs),5particularlymobilegroupshaveledtoadigitalgenderdivide.The

phones,theinternetandcomputers,playanCOVID-19pandemicandensuinglockdownshave

importantroleinacceleratingbusinessgrowth.emphasizedtheimportanceofICTsastoolsto

ThepotentialbenefitsofICTsareextensive,supporttheresilienceandcompetitivenessof

includingbetteraccesstocrucialinformationinmicro,smallandmediumenterprisesandhave

areassuchasmarketsandpricinginformation;weakenedmanysmallbusinessesthatlackdigital

increasedmethodsandopportunitiesforpreparedness.7

promotingbusinesses;improved

administration;creatingnetworkswithObjectiveandstructureofthestudy

customers,businesspartnersandother

stakeholders;gainingaccesstonewfinancialThepurposeofthisstudyistoexaminewhat

products;andimprovingcommunicationalongroleICTcanplayinsupportingexistingand

thevaluechain.AnalysisbytheInternationalpotentialArabwomenentrepreneurs.Thestudy

TelecommunicationsUnion(ITU)(2018,pp.24-addresses:(a)thebroaderentrepreneurial

25)indicatesnotonlythataccesstoanduseoflandscapeandthelevelofwomen*s

ICTssupportsentrepreneurialactivities,butalsoengagementinentrepreneurshipintheArab

thatanindividuaPspropensitytoengageinregion;(b)theinfrastructuralchallengesfacing

entrepreneurialactivityisrelatedtotheirlevelArabentrepreneursingeneral;(c)theparticular

ofdigitalskills.challengeswomenfaceinestablishingand

maintainingbusinesses;(d)howICTscanhelp

AsICTisincreasinglyintegratedintobusinessinovercomingthesechallenges.

practices,digitalskillshavebecomeessentialto

devisingbusinessmodels,developingbusinessMethodology

plans,raisingfinancialcapital,interactingwith

stakeholdersandclientsandbuildingsocialAttemptingtopaintaclearpictureofwomen's

professionalnetworksandrelationships.entrepreneurialactivityintheArabregionis

4/agenda/2020/07/how-businesses-can-turn-covid-19-uncertainty-to-their-advantage/.

5ThebroaddefinitionofICTsincludesanyproductortoolsuchaspersonalcomputers,digitaltelevision,mobilephones,email

radioandothers,thatstores,retrieves,manipulates,transmitsorreceivesinformationelectronicallyinodigitalform(Zuppo,

ColrainM”2012,DefiningICTinaboundary-lessworld:thedevelopmentofaworkinghierarchy.InternationalJournalof

ManagingInformationTechnology,vol.4,No.3).

6file:///C:/Users/921407/OneDrivepercent20-percent20Unitedpercent20Nations/Entrepreneurshippercent20&per

cent20ICT/Readingpercent20forpercent20Litpercent20Review/Spotlight-15-A-Brave-New-World-Technology-and-

Education.pdf.

7ITC(2020).SMECompetitivenessoutlook.Availableat

/uploadedFiles/intracenorg/Content/Publications/ITCSMEC02020.pdf.

difficult,giventhatnosinglecomprehensiveawebsiteanduseemailwithclientsand/or

datasetcanbedrawnontoidentifyexistingsuppliers.

patterns.Thisstudyisbasedonamixed

methodsapproachcomprisedofadeskreviewAmajorlimitationoftheEnterpriseSurveysfor

ofrelevantliteratureaswellassomedatathepurposesofthisreportisthatdataarenot

analysis.AthoroughreviewofquantitativeandavailableforeverycountryintheArabregion.

qualitativestudiesfromtheregionandaroundDataareavailableforDjibouti,Egypt,Iraq,

theworldongender,entrepreneurshipandICTJordan,Lebanon,Mauritania,Morocco,the

adaptationpaintsapictureofexistingmacroStateofPalestine,theSudan,Tunisiaand

andindividualchallengesfacingpotentialandYemen,insomecasesformultipleyears.

existingwomenentrepreneurs,aswellasHowever,noEnterpriseSurveyshavebeen

potentialavenueswherebyICTscanbemoreconductedinBahrain,Kuwait,Libya,Oman,

effectiveinsupportingbusinesswomen.Qatar,SaudiArabia,theSyrianArabRepublic,

QatarortheUnitedArabEmirates.Inaddition,

Thestudyanalyseddatafromseveralsources,samplesizesforsomecountriesarequitesmall

includingtheWorldBankEnterpriseSurvey,theanddataonlycaptureformalsectorfirms(with

InternationalLabourOrganization(ILO),Globalfiveormoreemployees)inthemanufacturing

Findex,theInternationalTelecommunicationsandsomeservicesectorcategories.This

Union(ITU)andtheGlobalEntrepreneurshippotentiallyexcludesalargecohortofwomen

Monitor(GEM).entrepreneurswhoareinothersectorsand/or

whoareself-employedintheinformalsector.

TheWorldBankEnterpriseSurveyisafirm-level

surveyofarepresentativesampleofanGiventheselimitations,thestudyalsoanalysed

economy*sprivatesector.ThesurveyscoveradatafromGlobalFindex,theGlobal

broadrangeofbusinessenvironmenttopics,EntrepreneurshipMonitor(GEM),theGlobal

includingaccesstofinance,infrastructure,TalentCompetitivenessIndex,theInternational

competitionandperformancemeasures.LabourOrganization(ILO),theInternational

Forthisstudy,datawereanalysedtoexploreTelecommunicationsUnion(ITU),theUnited

women'sleadershiproleinformalsectorfirmsNationsEducational,ScientificandCultural

intheArabregion,includingtheratesoffirmsOrganization(UNESCO)andtheWorldBank.

withfemaleownershipandleadership,inorderFinally,thestudyreliedonanumberofprevious

todevelopanoverviewofwomen*sanalyses,mostnotablya2017studybythe

engagementinentrepreneurshipintheregion.UnitedNationsIndustrialDevelopment

Inaddition,dataonobstaclesfacingOrganization(UNIDO)whichsurveyedabout

entrepreneurs,includingtheextenttowhich1,200womenentrepreneursintheformaland

firmsareaffectedbyelectricaloutages,informalsectorsinEgypt,Jordan,Lebanon,

telecommunicationsinfrastructure,financeandMorocco,theStateofPalestineandTunisia,

thedegreetowhichtheworkforceisadequatelyprovidingrichanalysisoftheobstaclesfacing

trained,wereanalysedtogainanunderstandingwomenentrepreneursinthesesixcountries.

ofhowobstaclesdifferbythesexofowners.However,becausethedatasamplewasnot

Thiswascomplementedbyanalysisofdataonrandomlycollectedandthepopulationthat

technologyuse,inparticularwhetherfirmshaverespondentsweredrawnfromappearstodiffer

dependingonthecountrycontext,cross­negotiationskills,theabilitytoassessrisksetc.

countrycomparisonsshouldbemadewith(developmentofentrepreneurialbehaviour)

extremecaution.aswellasbecausethroughentrepreneurship,

women'sstandingintheirfamiliesisoften

Still,boththeGEMandUNIDOdatadoprovideincreased(increasedcontributionstothe

insightsconcerningArabwomenentrepreneursfamily).Eveniftheincomegeneratedfrom

intheinformalsectorandthechallengestheyentrepreneurshipisnotsubstantial,the

face,whichisimportantgiventhehighratesofleadershipskillsgainedmaybevaluableboth

entrepreneursengagedintheinformalsectorwithinandbeyondthehousehold.

withintheregion(reportedbytheILOtostand

at90.8percent).Atthesametime,thesestudiesInlightofDattaandGailey'sdefinition,onecan

donotprovideafullpictureofwomeninturnthinkaboutspecificwaysthatICTcanbe

entrepreneursintheinformaleconomy,givenintegratedintowomen'sbusinesses,that

thelackofcomprehensivedataacrosscountriesemphasizenotonlydirecteconomicbenefits

andyears.This,therefore,isalimitationofthisthatmayimproverevenues/profits,butalso

study,asisthefactthatdataontheformalsectorsolutionsthatindirectlysupportwomenin,

derivefromdifferentsources,containrelativelyforexample,improvingtheirself-imageand

smallnumbersoffemaleentrepreneursandwereconfidence,developingstrategiestobetter

gatheredindifferentyears.positiontheminthemarket,etc.,whichmay

inturnsupportthedevelopmentof

Conceptualframeworkentrepreneurialbehaviour,andshapehow

theyareviewedbytheirfamilies.

Thisstudyseekstoidentifybothstructuraland

individualobstaclesthatpreventwomenintheAnotherdefinitionprovidedbyShinglaand

ArabregionfromengaginginentrepreneurialSingh(2017,p.27)alsoshedslightonhow

activity,throughdataanalysisandareviewICTcanbemobilizedtosupportwomen

ofexistingliterature,inordertoinformentrepreneurs.Theseauthorsemphasize:"level

policymakersandidentifymissedopportunities.ofmobility”，“decision-makingpower”and

Thestudyemploysawomen*sempowerment“awarenessandcapacitybuilding“asimportant

approach,gearedtowardsthefulfilmentoftheaspectsofempowermentrelatedto

rightsofwomenandgirlsandtheattainmentofentrepreneurialactivity.Thepresentstudywill

equalitybetweenwomenandmen.usethesecategoriestoidentifyvariousways

ICTscanenhancewomen*sentrepreneurial

DattaandGailey(2012,p.581)identifythreeexperiencesandmoregenerallyempowerthem.

formsofempowermentthatcanresultfrom

entrepreneurialactivity:"economicsecurity,Inthinkingaboutthemosteffectivewayto

developmentofentrepreneurialbehaviour,andsupportwomenentrepreneurs,anotheruseful

increasedcontributionstothefamily”.InothertheoreticalconceptiswhattheOECD(2018c,

words,entrepreneurshipcanbeempoweringtop.37)haslabelledasM[l]eapfrogopportunities”

womenbecauseitprovidesthemwithincome-whichinvolve“bypassingtraditional

(economicsecurity),butalsobecauseithelpstechnologiesandtakingupdigitalalternatives”.

buildtheirself-confidenceandvariousskillsetsGiventhatwomengloballyandintheregionlag

throughbetterknowledgeofmarkets,pricing,behindintermsoftheirengagementin

entrepreneurialactivity,reflectingonwaystoinitiatedandstartedrunningtheirbusinesses.

putbothtraditionalandcutting-edgeICTintoTheconceptofreadinessofwomento

thehandsofwomenshouldbeattheforefrontcommencenewbusinessesiskeytoaddress

ofpolicypriorities,bothbecauseitwillgivethegendergapinentrepreneurship.Thus,this

womenabusinessadvantageandwillclosethechapterexaminesthefactorslimitingwomen's

digitaldivide.Onefinaltheoreticalconceptthatabilitytolaunchbusinessesaswellasthe

willframethisanalysisisthedistinctionfactorsobstructingtheirabilitytosustainand

betweensubsistenceandtransformationalexpandthesebusinesses,withaparticularfocus

entrepreneurs,inlightoftheoften-differentonICTsastoolstosupportwomen's

challengesfacingthesetwogroups.entrepreneurship.

StudyoutlineBybringingtolightinitiativesintheregion,

chapterthreeexamineshowICTscan

Thestudyiscomprisedofthreechapters.Thepromotewomen'sentrepreneurship.This

firstchaptersetsthescenebydescribingthechapterexplainsthemultiplerolesofICTs

stateofentrepre