Promotion of women entrepreneurship in Southern Africa

Abstract

The global concern on the status of women dates as far back as 1946 when the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women was established to monitor the situation of women and to promote women’s status. Since then, a number of global and regional initiatives that have impacted upon the political, socio-economic and cultural status of women in Africa have been launched. First and foremost was the United Nations Decade for Women covering the period 1976-1985 which was to be devoted to effective and sustained national, regional and international action to implement the World Plan of Action and related resolutions. This study therefore seeks to address in particular the efforts of member States in enhancing the economic emancipation and improving the standards of living of women through the promotion of women entrepreneurship. The data of the study was obtained through a mission to a selected number of member States as well as through a desk study of existing literature on the subject.