TRANSFORMATIVE POLICY SOLUTIONS TO SUPPORT WOMEN LED BUSINESSES IN AFRICA IN A POST COVID 19 WORLD

Amidst COVID-19, Women-led businesses across Africa have significantly been impacted. UN Women, ImpactHer conducted a survey with women SME owners across 30 African countries which revealed that most women-led SMEs are at risk of permanent business shutdown as a result of the pandemic.  This brief assesses the impact of COVID-19 on women led businesses across the continent, the different sectors and the ways in which women have been affected by the pandemic. It also evaluates the some of the economic policies that government has put in place to  help women led SMEs address these constraints. Furthermore, the brief addresses the lack of unfit policies put in place that do not address women needs during the pandemic and the need for policies that take into account the  the barriers that women-led SMEs faced prior to the pandemic that prevented their businesses from achieving their economic potential. Finally, the brief gives perspective and transformative policy solutions that african governments can put in place in order to allow women led businesses more opportunities to survive the pandemic.

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