As the nation's women's entrepreneurial landscape evolves, women entrepreneurs are sounding a call to address the multifaceted challenges hindering their progress. During a conversation with Shereen Bhan of CNBC-TV18 at News18's 'Rising India She Shakti' on Friday, women entrepreneurs unequivocally highlighted the critical factors including pivotal changes in governmental support and policy implementation for propelling women into successful entrepreneurial roles.

Focusing on the need for more substantial financial aid from the government, Lachic Rizgin, Creator of Dolkhar, sustainable stays, Leh, Ladakh, said, "As a women entrepreneur, the biggest challenge is usually finance, the government really needs to work towards providing more support to women entrepreneurs. We hear about a lot of schemes, but on the ground we know the reality."

The discourse transcends geographical boundaries and echoes the experiences of women entrepreneurs nationwide. Akshita M Bhanj Deo, a Culture writer & Director of Belgadia Palace, emphasised that women's education alone cannot guarantee workforce inclusion, but there is a need to assess the architects of societal norms and work dynamics.

"We focus on women's education...that's gonna make sure they join the labour force. But that is not true. There were more women working in jobs, the public and private sectors in the 80s than they are today. Women are getting educated and choosing not to work. So, I think we need to take a hard look at who is framing the rules of society and work, and if that is working for women," she said.

While Talha Salaria, the Founder and Trustee of LAW Foundation, believes that the inclusion of women from education to the workplace is possible only through the implementation of policies that address issues around women. "In our workspaces, we need to actually indoctrinate the fact that women have issues. We put a lot of policies together but implementation and execution, I think we focus more on that than adding just policies," she said.

Speaking of her own challenges, Talha said, "We thought we were trying to get jobs but we are making a systemic change. Because it is not just in Kashmir...There is not much of a private sector, there is only the government sector. So just a shift from govt to private job, that itself people have to get used to. Secondly, Women moving out. because we cannot take all the jobs there right now. So people moving out. Mobility, are they willing to move out, Insecurities, etc, that's another. I realise it is a marathon, not a sprint. You have to stick with it, it is going to be very slow. because It has going to be a systemic change, rather than just a few jobs. So I think I have to be very aware of that and not get discouraged."

Further, providing a tangible solution, Leesa Mohanty, founder of Nirguna.in, Odisha advocated the empowerment that conscious consumer choices can bring to women artisans and weavers, besides the government support.

She said, "When you get to the grassroots, you will see it is a lot of hard work, it's a lot of patience. They (women artisans and weavers) take a month or two to weave a saree, many of them...Apart from government support, what I want to tell everyone is that let's buy a handloom saree, every year."

First Published:Aug 11, 2023 5:09 PM IST