Achieving gender equality and empowering women is essential if we want to meet each of the Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations (UN). It is urgent to recognize and make visible the contributions of women to development, but also to define actions that ensure an equitable distribution of the burdens of domestic work and unpaid care, while increasing the security of their economic income and strengthening their empowerment with participation, financial support, and accompaniment.
Data from the Women’s Entrepreneurship Day Organization (WED) show that women do 66% of all the world’s work and produce 50% of the food; however, they receive only 10% of global income and own only 1% of the property. 17% of women are entrepreneurs and 35% aspire to have their business, mainly in low- and middle-income countries (GEM).
In Costa Rica, the panorama of women’s participation in entrepreneurship is no different. 82% of technology-based ventures are led by men, evidencing a marked gender gap, and if we look for the profile of the entrepreneurial person, a man between the ages of 26 and 35 is generally profiled, without taking into account that the Women are gaining more and more prominence as entrepreneurs and heads of household.
There is no doubt that the economic effect of a greater number of women in the paid market would have a favorable impact on economic growth. Estimates indicate that poverty would drop by half, without neglecting the social and environmental benefits generated by these ventures.
Supporting equity will allow us to generate multiple benefits in areas such as the development of women’s capacities and the strengthening of their identities and leadership. It is up to us as a nation to name, make visible and promote the enterprises led by them, in rural and urban areas, and identify the barriers they face to undertake, draw routes and move towards equity.
Experience tells us that it is imperative to open spaces so that women can strengthen their skills in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) since this multiplies the opportunities to generate income and contribute to development. More specifically, work and entrepreneurship should be focused on initiatives that accelerate the development of innovation and technologies.
Fortunately, more and more doors are being opened that generate opportunities, some of them focused on empowering and strengthening skills. An example of high impact is Constelar, the first incubation program focused on women in STEM areas in the country, which already has 22 projects led by women and a community that offers favorable conditions for entrepreneurship. This initiative is developed by the CRUSA Foundation and the Costa Rican Promoter of Innovation and Research, in partnership with Impact Hub San José.
Within the framework of the International Day of Women Entrepreneurs, I celebrate each female leader who has decided to undertake and make a difference in our country and, in addition, I invite us to join efforts and, together, promote the transformation of our country towards a more prosperous, sustainable and inclusive nation, by strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
