Women in Industry SeriesWOMEN,INDUSTRY ANDENTREPRENEURSHIPSample casesUNITED NATIONS INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONMessage from the Chairperson ofUNIDO’s Task Force onPreparations for theFourth World Conference on WomenThroughout the world, women make a vital contri-bution to industrial output. Over 200 million women areemployed across all industry sectors, with half of thisnumber in developing countries. Their work not only sus-tains their families, but also makes a major contribution tosocio-economic progress. Most women are employed inlow-skilled, poorly paid positions, where they are often ex-posed to health hazards. On the other hand, we are seeingthe advance of an increasing number of highly educatedwomen into senior decision-making positions. The creativityand talents of all women are an invaluable resource, whichcan and should be developed both for their own self-realization and for the benefit of society as a whole.The key to enhancing women’s opportunities, andhence their position in industry and the economy, is to pro-vide them with access to know-how, technologies andcredit. Training to upgrade women’s technological capabili-ties and to enhance their entrepreneurial and businessskills, whether in simple artisanal production or in high-technology industries, is at the heart of allowing women toadvance to more rewarding positions. All these activitiesare an integral part of UNIDO’s technical assistance pro-grammes. The case-studies presented in this series of bro-chures demonstrate that women can not only succeed insectors where traditionally they have had a strong pres-ence, but can also reach leading positions in sectors thatwere previously believed to be the exclusive domain ofmen. They also show that technological solutions can di-rectly benefit women by improving their living and workingconditions, particularly in sectors where they tend to beconcentrated.UNIDO is committed to sustainable industrial develop-ment as a means of achieving economic prosperity, ahealthy environment, and integration of all groups insociety. It is our firm belief that enabling the full contribu-tion of both men and women, in all sectors of industry, isindispensable for attaining this objective.(Mrs.) A. Tcheknavorian-AsenbauerWOMEN, INDUSTRY ANDENTREPRENEURSHIPSmall and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) play a vital rolein industrial development. They have the flexibility to respondquickly to market changes and opportunities, to developspecialized product niches, and to rapidly absorb technologicalinnovations. They are responsible for substantial capitalformation and job creation at the local level, and thus toimproving local standards of living.Women have traditionally played an important role in the SMEsector, as owners, managers and workers. They dominate threeimportant subsectors, making up over 80 per cent of the em-ployees in textile, clothing and leather production, 75 per cent infood, beverages and tobacco production, and over 60 per centin wood and wood processing. They also perform mostagricultural work in rural areas, where they act as micro-entrepreneurs and traders of agricultural produce.Although it can be dynamic, the SME sector is all too oftenmarked by outdated and inefficient practices and technologies.As a result, small enterprises tend to operate far below theirproductive capacity. Improving their efficiency and introducingnew techniques can therefore yield large returns to women interms of income and job creation.However, women are often unaware of the opportunities, andthey typically face several obstacles to taking action. Three inparticular stand out:Skills. Women often lack the skills required for entrepre-neurial ventures, Whereas many programmes operate onthe grassroots level, women entrepreneurs require upgrad-ing of their managerial, technical and marketing skills intheir particular subsector if they are to be able to increasetheir competitiveness. Technology. Small scale businesses often use inefficientlow-cost technologies which yield products of poor qualityand pose hazards to health and the environment (see theUNIDO brochure Women, industry and Technology).Financial Support. Women entrepreneurs often lack accessto credit required to invest in new technologies.UNIDO’s programme for support to women entrepreneurs isdesigned not only to enable their greater participation in SMEs,but also to assist them to enter non-traditional, more productiveand more profitable businesses and sectors. UNIDO’s trainingfor women entrepreneurs is very pragmatic, and seeks toprovide them with all the skills they need, both managerial andtechnical, in a single package.UNIDO programmes also emphasise institutional development,to create cooperatives, networks of entrepreneurs, and links tosources of finance (including new and innovative systems ofcredit and financing), technical advice, and marketingchannels.The overall approach is based on abundant evidence thatwomen are able to become successful entrepreneurs when theyhave access to the right skills, technologies and financialsupport.Women preparing anchovies for smoking in TogoThe role of UNIDOUNIDO assists women in meeting the challenges of industrialrestructuring and technological change, and in participating onan equal basis both in industrial decision-making and in thebenefits of development. UNIDO promotes the advancement ofwomen through mainstreaming, recognising women as full actorsand equal partners in development activities and trainingprogrammes. There are also specific programmes and servicesto remove obstacles preventing the full participation of women indevelopment. These are initiated by UNIDO’s Integration ofWomen in Industrial Development Unit, established in 1986.UNIDO’s approaches are illustrated in the following casestudies.Case 1: Revitalizing Traditional Pottery in Bolivia.Traditional pottery villages in the Andes were declining.UNIDO reversed this by providing women with better toolsand training in new techniques, enabling them to becomesuccessful entrepreneurs.Case 2: Artisanal Fish Smoking in Togo. Fish smoking isperformed by women, but they were using inefficient toolsand techniques. UNIDO trained the women in new approaches,improving quality, productivity and income-generation.Case 3: Creating Textile Entrepreneurs in Kenya. Manywomen worked in garment production, but lacked appropriatetools and business skills. UNIDO’s programme providedthese, and helped turn 380