Women entrepreneurs, who account for around two per cent of small and medium firm owners, are less likely to use the internet than men irrespective of income and education status, a study says.

The Asia Foundation which conducted the study on the business environment in Bangladesh found only 69 of the 3,800 firms surveyed had at least one female owner.

The study shows that women are about 40 percent less likely to use the internet than men, irrespective of income and education status.

In this context, providing access to information for women entrepreneurs is a difficult task, but one that can yield enormous benefits.

In its website, the Asia Foundation reported that in collaboration with the country's second largest telecom operator, Banglalink, it is designing an ICT-based solution that capitalises on the country's over 100 million phone subscribers to help these entrepreneurs overcome common barriers including women entrepreneurs in the rural districts.

By building a network among themselves, women entrepreneurs will be able to share experiences and gain better access to the booming ICT sector, receive ICT training, and be better prepared to benefit from e-governance initiatives that the government is currently implementing. The project will initially be implemented in four districts -- Barisal, Rajshahi, Rangpur, and Sylhet -- with the prospect of later expansion to additional districts.

Under this initiative, women entrepreneurs will have a dedicated platform (bdwomensme.org) to sell their products and take advantage of the e-marketplace.

Source: the Financial Express