If in the world of employment, the barriers women’s access subsist, the world of entrepreneurship is not immune to this same reality. Admittedly, brilliant women, with prolific careers, have been able to make the exception and show the way to success by setting up their own business, setting up projects or taking the reins of a bequeathed company, but entrepreneurship remains a domain exclusively dominated by men.

A few decades ago, it was improbable, unthinkable: women massively invested in the labor market, especially in the world of employment. Far from being a long calm river, their fight for economic emancipation is still going on. Because, if Tunisia is known to be one of the first countries in the Arab world to establish a legal and regulatory framework in favor of gender equality, particularly in the world of work, on the ground the disparities are still enormous. And the statistics say so. Indeed, unemployment affects women much more than men: it is around 21% once morest 14% for men. The gap widens further when it comes to higher education graduates: the unemployment rate for women rises to around 30%, while that for men does not exceed 16%. These figures are strangely paradoxical since women represent more than two-thirds of higher education graduates. They only reflect the feminine condition: this glass ceiling that women still cannot break is particularly solid. And for good reason: social gender norms that are well anchored and hard-skinned. However, the participation of women in economic life is a guarantee of progress and prosperity. “Gender equality is not an end in itself. It is also a means of promoting economic development. Gender biases, gender inequalities in work, in access to credit, in the distribution of wealth and income and in decision-making are all obstacles to the efficient and productive use of resources. human resources to meet the needs of populations,” notes a United Nations report on globalization and its consequences for women’s employment.

Entrepreneurship, a last refuge?

If in the world of employment, the barriers women’s access subsist, the world of entrepreneurship is also not immune to this same reality. Admittedly, brilliant women, with prolific careers, have been able to make the exception and show the way to success by setting up their own business, setting up projects or taking the reins of a bequeathed company, but entrepreneurship remains a domain exclusively dominated by men. According to national estimates, Only 23% of businesses are run by women. A rate, which is below the world average, estimated at around 33%. In the tech sector, the figures are more shocking: only 4% of labeled start-ups are founded (28% co-founded) by women.

Although female entrepreneurship is a proven lever for growth, many women find it difficult to start their projects. Often pushed to their limits, particularly because of a context of precariousness and professional instability, more and more women are choosing entrepreneurship to ensure their financial autonomy.

“The first motivation that pushes women to undertake remains the financial need, closely linked to the need to find a solution to unemployment, a scourge in many disadvantaged regions. It is therefore out of economic necessity that they turn to entrepreneurship, a path that prevents them from being dependent on other people to find a source of income. Other reasons can push women to undertake, in particular the desire or the need to emancipate themselves or to find a certain personal fulfillment through work. This motivation concerns more and more the new generations. The latter are also driven by the desire to change things and create an impact, whether in their region, or with their fellow citizens whom they encourage in this professional dynamic”, explains the thematic report on the female entrepreneurship and women’s empowerment in Tunisia as part of Mashrou3i, a project carried out by the United Nations in partnership with Usaid, the Italian cooperation agency and the HP foundation.

Brave the challenges

Indeed, the reality for women entrepreneurs is far from rosy due to the plethora of obstacles they face. Because between increased difficulties of access to financing and markets and the obligation to reconcile family life and the tumultuous life of an entrepreneur, women are fighting to achieve their success.

According to the results of the latest edition of the MIQYES SME Health Barometer which focused on women entrepreneurs, the profits of women-owned companies are on average 34% lower than those of their male counterparts. even if 67% of respondents say they have successful in obtaining new customers or markets. The survey revealed that they have more difficulty obtaining investment loans with a higher refusal rate reaching 51.1% once morest 41% for men. 59% of them say they have trouble finding a balance between personal and professional life. The barometer also revealed that women generally tend to manage small businesses: 61% of women questioned are at the helm of SMEs with turnover of less than 500,000 dinars once morest 57% for men.

This rough picture shows that in the professional world, women have come a long way, but there is still more to go. If they are free to embrace the professional career of their dreams, if they can build their own projects and run their businesses by taking up a series of challenges, they must blow up other obstacles that prevent them from progressing professionally and growing their businesses.