Women Micro Entrepreneurs in Tanzania: Challenges and Opportunities

The development strategy for reducing poverty need to recognize that the majority of poor are women. Women constitute nearly 51 per cent of the population and two third are below poverty line in Tanzania. Of the various dimensions of livelihood options and their implications for women, this book analyses the challenges faced by women and the opportunities available in earning their livelihoods through establishing and managing micro enterprises being promoted under different self ?employment and income generating programmes. Women in entrepreneurship has also been largely neglected both in society in general and in the social sciences. Moreover, fewer women participation rates in entrepreneurship than men but they also have generally peculiarity of choosing to start and manage firms in different industries than men tend to do. The industries (primarily retail, education and other service industries) chosen by women are often perceived as being less important to economic development and growth. Furthermore, research, policies and programmes tend to be ?gender biased? and too often do not take into account the specific needs of women entrepreneurs and would-be women entrepreneur