Global Affairs Canada’s Women’s Voice and Leadership Program changes organizational trajectories for the better: Queer Women in Business+ Allies NPC

“There are many barriers to starting a business that all entrepreneurs face, but there are additional layers if you are black, poor, and female, and there is yet another layer if you are queer,” a woman entrepreneur commented in an interview with the author of this article.

There are an estimated 400,000 queer women in South Africa according to data from Queer Women in Business and Allies. These women, and other members of the LGBTQIA+ community, face exacerbated challenges when entering the economy. Inter alia, they are disproportionately excluded from opportunities, more likely to experience bullying, violence, and discrimination, and less likely to have access to start-up capital. Queer Women in Business and Allies conducted research among queer women entrepreneurs and working professionals in South Africa and found that 80% require queer women-centric spaces to network, 80% need like-minded mentors, 60% lack business skills, and 60% struggle to access resources.

Read the full article on the Development Aid website