Jobs, gender and small enterprises : getting the policy environment right

Abstract

Provides a review of relevant approaches to formulating effective policies to promote women's entrepreneur development. Following the identification of three paradigms of medium and small scale entrerprise development (the neo-liberal market pardigm, feminist empowerment, and interventionist poverty alleviation), reviews the diverse economic and socio- politcal environments in African, South Asian, European countries and the US. Advocates socially equitable growth, enounces best practice policies, and concludes about ILO's gender mainstreaming policy.