Skip to content Skip to navigation

GIZ report showing impact of Covid-19 on women-led businesses

By AT News |

The Covid-19 crisis in India has posed severe challenges to small and growing businesses in the country, widening the pre-existing gender gaps and diminishing considerable developments achieved within the women entrepreneurship ecosystem in the past decades.

In a bid to shed light on the unique and disproportionate impact of the pandemic on women-led businesses, GIZ has recently come out with a detailed report. The report titled “Women Entrepreneurs’ Resilience in Times of Covid-19” was based on GIZ’s Project Her&Now.  The Her&Now project is implemented by GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and  the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India.

The findings of the report will be based on a study conducted in December 2020. The data will be collated based on interviews of 211 women entrepreneurs operating across a diverse field of sectors.

Speaking about the report, Project Head Ullas Marar says says, “Given that the pandemic is far from being over and there are high possibilities we may have to tackle a third wave and subsequent waves in the near future, it has become imperative to understand the ways in which women-led enterprises (as well as the women entrepreneurs themselves) responded to the pandemic when it began, because we believe a lot of lessons and learnings lie there."

"Keeping that in mind, we have prepared, and are now glad to release the report -- “Women Entrepreneurs’ Resilience in Times of Covid-19” – which we believe will be of great help for the key stakeholders in deriving best practices, learnings and opportunities for the wider ecosystem of women entrepreneurship in India", he added.

The report comprises three main sections: 

Impact of Covid-19 on women entrepreneurs: This section reveals that for most of the women entrepreneurs, their customer demand was being most affected in the aftermath of the pandemic, followed by issues relating to working capital and operational processes. Several entrepreneurs also struggled with accessing the marketplace, retaining employees and receiving supplies in time. A smaller share of the respondents experienced negative impacts relating to inventory.

Responsive measures by women entrepreneurs: This section highlights the key measures that women entrepreneurs took to counter operational disruptions, such as: efforts to market digitally, diversifying distribution channels, adjusting the product/service offering, re-adapting operations or revising the financial model, investing in business development, optimizing the supply chain, revising the pricing strategies, among others. By using either a few or most of these measures, many among the interviewed entrepreneurs were able to turn the Covid-19 induced challenges within their business environment into opportunities, reveals the report.

Conclusion: This section contains six important conclusions that can be drawn from the findings of the report and attempts to outline the optimal way forward for the women’s entrepreneurship ecosystem in India. 

Author info

AT News's picture

Assam Times Staff. editor@assamtimes.org

Add new comment

Assamese Translator

Assam Times seeks English to Assamese translators!
Join our volunteer team.
Email editor@assamtimes.org.

Random Stories

BJP taps Upasa for Jalukbari

8 Jun 2015 - 12:40pm | AT Political Bureau
BJP is believed to have agreed to field Upasa Phukan from Jalukbari constituency to counter Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma in the assembly polls early next year.Accompanied by her mother, the daughter of...

Mooshahary stresses self sufficiency in food

11 Feb 2012 - 3:21am | editor
Meghalaya Governor RS Mooshahary said that the north eastern region must look at Nagaland to attain self sufficiency in food production. Opening the Northeast Agri Fair 2012 organised by the...

Victim's family given away ex-gratia

6 Aug 2016 - 7:22pm | AT Kokrajhar Bureau
Altogether 14 victim's kin family members, we lost their dear one on Friday indiscriminately firing at Balajan Tinali bazar were given away five lakhs each ex-gratia from Assam state government on...

Child Labour- the epidemic needs to end

20 Jun 2007 - 9:41am | Rituparna Goswami Pande
Twelve year old Jayanta cleans, cooks, washes, grocery shops for the Sharma family for a paltry sum of rupees four hundred a month which in turn he sends to his family of five who live in the nearby...

Other Contents by Author

Legal Notices Served to Halt HPV Vaccine Rollout in India

In a significant development, legal notices have been served recently to the Chief Secretaries of 15 Indian states and union territories, demanding the immediate cessation of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign. Advocate Mitali Sett issued the notices on behalf of senior gynecologists and members of the Awaken India Movement, citing concerns about informed consent, potential health risks, and non-compliance with Supreme Court mandates. Key Details of the Legal Notices The notices allege violations of the Supreme Court's directives in the landmark case Jacob Puliyel vs. Union of India, which emphasizes the "golden rule" of informed consent. The directives mandate...

Celebration of UNESCO World Heritage Status for Charaideo Moidam and Felicitation of Key Contributors

The people of Guwahati, along with the Tai Ahom people, will come together to celebrate the historic recognition of Charaideo Moidams-the Mound-Burial system of the Ahom Dynasty as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The event will honor the key individuals whose tireless efforts contributed to achieving this prestigious milestone. The event will be held at Karmashree Hiteswar Saikia College Guwahati, with Dr. K.C. Noriwal, a renowned historian, and other eminent personalities gracing the occasion as chief guests. As part of the program, a detailed presentation showcasing the significance of the Moidams will be screened.

Renowned Filmmaker Bhaskarjyoti Das Passes Away

Renowned filmmaker and screenwriter Bhaskarjyoti Das passed away on Thursday after a prolonged battle with cancer. He was 51 years old at the time of his demise. Bhaskarjyoti Das was celebrated for his exceptional work in films like Handuk, Sonar Boron Pakhi, and Bakul Phulor Dore, among others. His screenwriting earned him accolades at both state and national levels. He also served as the co-producer and assistant director for the acclaimed film Antardhan. His documentary An Unknown Summer was screened at this year’s Kerala International Documentary and Short Film Festival and gained global recognition. The film was also nominated in the Short Documentary category for the prestigious...

MHA Constitutes Tribunal to Examine Ban on ULFA

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has established an Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal to assess whether the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and its affiliates should continue to be classified as an unlawful association. The tribunal, chaired by Justice Michael Zothankhuma of the Gauhati High Court, was formed under Section 5(1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. This follows the MHA's recent decision to extend ULFA's ban for five more years, citing the group's ongoing efforts to secede Assam from India, links with other insurgent groups, and involvement in extortion and violence. The ULFA, banned since 1990, has a long history of criminal activities,...

5 Pillars of Health: Transforming Your Life Through Simple Changes

In our modern world, the rising prevalence of chronic diseases is a harsh reminder of the impact of lifestyle and diet choices on our well-being. As Lalit Kapoor insightfully puts it, “The human body is a self-healing organism.” However, by relying heavily on medications to suppress symptoms, we disrupt this natural process and set off a vicious cycle of dependency and further health complications. The key to vibrant health lies in embracing five fundamental pillars, as seen in communities of the world’s Blue Zones—regions where people live disease-free into their 90s and beyond. Let’s explore these pillars and how they can transform our lives. 1. Food: Nourishing the Body from...

Key Communication Strategies Used by Remote Professionals in India

With remote work on the rise, traditional office arrangements have been completely turned upside down. No one has embraced this transformation quite like remote professionals in India. From freelancers to full-time remote employees, Indian professionals are leveraging a range of creative communication hacks to collaborate with global teams, navigate time zone differences, and remain productive. Whether you’re a remote worker yourself or just interested in how India’s professionals are coping with this new status quo, there’s plenty to be learned from their approach. Remote work relies on one thing above all else: clear, constant communication. This often means leveraging technology,...

Panel Discussion Highlights Human Rights Violations Against Minorities in Bangladesh

Guwahati, December 21: A panel discussion on the "Violation of Human Rights Laws Against Hindus and Other Religious Minorities" was held today at the Bishnu Nirmal Trust Auditorium, Latasil, Guwahati. The event was organized under the banner of Adhivakta Parishad Assam Prant. The discussion featured notable speakers, including  Justice Ajit Borthakur, former Judge of the Guwahati High Court and current member of the Assam Human Rights Commission. Justice Borthakur raised concerns about the status of rights guaranteed under the Constitution of Bangladesh and questioned their protection for all citizens. Former IPS and DGP (OSD) M Mohan Raj provided historical context, comparing...

Assam Chamber of Commerce Organizes 5 KM Fun Run Against Drugs

Guwahati, December 2024: The Assam Chamber of Commerce is set to host a 5 KM Fun Run on January 5, 2025, at 6:00 AM, starting from the Gauhati Town Club, Judges Field, Panbazar. The event, spearheaded by Rupam Goswami, Chairman of the Assam Chamber of Commerce, aims to raise awareness about drug abuse and promote a healthy lifestyle. The fun run, themed “Run for a Cause,” invites participants from all walks of life to join hands in the fight against drugs. Registration for the event is priced at ₹250, with participants required to share a screenshot of their payment via WhatsApp to the organizers. The event promises exciting cash prizes for both male and female runners: ₹5,000 for first...

Congress leaders detained for protest over worker's death

A protest by Congress party workers in Dispur escalated into chaos today as demonstrators attempted to gherao the Janata Bhawan in Guwahati, leading to multiple detentions including top party leadership. Assam Pradesh Congress Committee President Bhupen Borah and senior leader Ripun Bora were among those detained as fully-equipped police forces intervened to control the situation. The demonstration, sparked by the death of Congress worker Mridul Islam in Wednesday's tear gas shelling, saw protesters defying police barricades and staging sit-ins on the road. Some demonstrators attempted to breach police lines in front of the Janata Bhawan, intensifying the confrontation. In a related...

TISS Guwahati Hosts Inaugural Inhmukhawm to Strengthen Field Work Collaboration

Guwahati, December 18, 2024: The School of Social Work at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Guwahati Off-Campus, held its first-ever Inhmukhawm: Field Work Organisations’ Meet on Wednesday. The event, themed "Buen Vivr: Co-building a Sustainable and Just Future," brought together nearly 100 participants, including grassroots organizations, NGOs, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) representatives. Aligning with the International World Social Work Day 2024, the gathering focused on social work, sustainability, and justice, providing a platform for dialogue, learning, and collaborative innovation to enhance student fieldwork initiatives. The event commenced with a warm...