State think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies said Sunday the government must continue to create policies that will empower women.
PIDS consultant Lucita Laz detailed in her study the different obstacles women entrepreneurs face in the Philippines.
The study highlights the challenges of policymakers in helping women entrepreneurs boost their business ventures amid the Asean economic integration and freer trade.
"Even with the Philippines coming ahead in international gender indices and local literacy rate surveys, affirming that Filipino women outperform Filipino men, experts say that translating these capabilities into business and leadership opportunities is still a work in progress,” Lazo said.
She said more Filipino women are educated but men’s employment still exceeded that of women’s.
"The Philippines boasts of having the highest ratio of female-to-male business leaders, yet experts believe that opportunities for women continue to be held back by oppressive conditions, and most of all, by persistent economic inequality,” she said.
Lazo said the challenges in empowering women included lack of access to resources; the sustainability of their businesses; lack of a business discipline, preparation and readiness for changing economic outlooks; lack of women representatives on decision making levels; lack of access to health and socio-legal protection; and a simple lack of information on the part of leaders and policymakers.
Despite all the government projects targeted to provide information, service facilities, technology and innovation to women in SMEs and microenterprises, access is weakened by a network of problems, she said.
