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ICRW Unveils Evaluation of Goldman Sachs' 10,000 Women

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Evaluation offers first glimpse of program's impact on women entrepreneurs
Thu, 03/01/2012
By ICRW Communications Staff

ICRW conducted an evaluation of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women initiative in India to identify early results of the program on women entrepreneurs’ business skills, practices and growth. The findings were unveiled today at the Council on Foreign Relations.

The global five-year program, "10,000 Women," aims to harness the power of women entrepreneurs to foster economic growth by teaching them how to become stronger businesswomen. Launched by Goldman Sachs in March 2008, the program’s goal is to provide 10,000 women who run small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with high-quality business and management skills training.    

Despite the enormous potential of these women to help grow economies in developing countries, research shows that they often have little access to business or management training and entrepreneurial networks. In an attempt to fill this critical gap, 10,000 Women invests in women in the SME sector who belong to what is often referred to as the “missing middle.” 

Has it made a difference in women’s lives? Has it borne broader benefits for the communities where they live and work? 

The International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) set out to find out. Our researchers just completed the first independent evaluation of the 10,000 Women program, which focused on results in India. It shows that the program — in combination with a number of other factors — is making a difference there. 

ICRW President Sarah Degnan Kambou will release the report, "Catalyzing Growth in the Women-run Small and Medium Enterprise Sector (SMEs)," and discuss its findings during a March 1 Council on Foreign Relations event in New York. Goldman Sachs and U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues Melanne Verveer will be among the attendees.

ICRW found strong evidence that the 10,000 Women program in India contributed to improving women’s business practices and skills. For many of the program's participants, these newfound skills seem to have played a critical role in strengthening their businesses’ performance. For example, half of the program’s "graduates" who reported data, said that they had doubled their revenues in an 18-month period. They also reported feeling more confident as entrepreneurs, which they say has resulted in other positive outcomes within their families and communities. 

ICRW's evaluation does not reflect the overall performance of the 10,000 Women program, which is up and running in countries as diverse as Afghanistan, China, Egypt and Rwanda. However, it does provide an initial glimpse at the program's potential to make a difference in 10,000 businesswomen’s lives – and the lives around them.

Connectivity How Mobile Phones, Computers and the Internet Can Catalyze Women's Entrepreneurship

Connectivity How Mobile Phones, Computers and the Internet Can Catalyze Women's Entrepreneurship
India: A Case Study

Anju Malhotra, Anjala Kanesathasan, Payal Patel
2012

This study examines how access to and use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) are transforming the economic opportunities available to poor and low-income women in India by promoting their entrepreneurial activity. What types of initiatives support small and medium enterprises for women, and through which ICTs? What factors shape a positive connection between ICTs and women’s business success? What barriers have been lifted and what opportunities realized? What types of impact are ICT-based initiatives having on women, their businesses and beyond? What promising pathways are being shaped, and what channels have yet to be explored?

The larger goal of this research is to identify how technology can be leveraged to create and transform entrepreneurial opportunities for women across the globe. The insights presented here are intended to inform programs, policies and investments that encourage women to start, strengthen and sustain businesses by adopting and using ICTs. Recommendations aim to provide direction for stakeholders—development actors, governments, and especially the private sector—on how they can support women’s entrepreneurship through ICT platforms, products and services.

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We encourage the use and dissemination of our publications for non-commercial, educational purposes. Portions may be reproduced with acknowledgment to the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW). For questions, please contact publications@icrw.org; or (202) 797-0007.

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Catalyzing Growth in the Women-Run Small and Medium Enterprises Sector (SMEs)

Catalyzing Growth in the Women-Run Small and Medium Enterprises Sector (SMEs)
Evaluating the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women Initiative

International Center for Research on Women
2012

ICRW conducted an evaluation of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women initiative in India to identify early results of the program on women entrepreneurs’ business skills, practices and growth. 10,000 Women, launched in 2008, aims to provide 10,000 women who run small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with high-quality business and management skills training. Research shows that these women are often underserved, in terms of access to business or management training and entrepreneurial networks, despite the enormous potential they have to help grow economies in developing countries.

This brief presents a summary of ICRW’s initial evaluation of the India program, which shows how the 10,000 Women program — in combination with a number of other factors — is making a difference in graduates’ businesses and lives.

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We encourage the use and dissemination of our publications for non-commercial, educational purposes. Portions may be reproduced with acknowledgment to the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW). For questions, please contact publications@icrw.org; or (202) 797-0007.

Terms and Conditions »

Only an SMS Away

Submitted by Anjala Kanesathasan on Friday, February 24, 2012
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Mobile phones can jump-start Indian women’s entrepreneurial opportunities

A new ICRW report illustrates how putting a mobile phone or computer in the hands of a woman entrepreneur in India can ignite tremendous economic growth.

Maha No. 1 in Domestic Violence Cases: Study

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Tue, 01/31/2012
The Times of India

The Times of India reports on a study about the implementation of India's Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, which was enacted in 2005. Findings show physical violence as well as emotional and verbal abuse were the most common forms of domestic violence reported, and 19 states did not have specific budget allocations for implementing the act. The research was conducted by the Lawyer's Collective of Women's Rights Initiative in collaboration with ICRW and UN Women.

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Universal Access for Women and Girls

Universal Access for Women and Girls
Accelerating Access to HIV Prevention, Treatment, Care and Support for Female Sex Workers and Wives of Migrant Men

Madhumita Das, Priya Nanda, Enisha Sarin, Alka Narang
2012

As part of the global initiative Universal Access for Women and Girls (UA Now!) to improve and achieve universal access to HIV prevention and treatment services for women, ICRW implemented a research study to expand the evidence base on access to services for two key populations in India: female sex workers and wives of migrant men in Pune, Maharashtra, and Ganjam, Orissa, respectively.

This report provides the results of a study undertaken by ICRW with support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The main objectives of the research study were to explore barriers to HIV services experienced by the study populations, and based on the findings, to identify entry points for improving HIV services among women in India more broadly.

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We encourage the use and dissemination of our publications for non-commercial, educational purposes. Portions may be reproduced with acknowledgment to the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW). For questions, please contact publications@icrw.org; or (202) 797-0007.

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Protecting Human Rights

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Protecting Human Rights (PHR) is a five year human rights activity project funded by USAID. ICRW is partnering with Plan and the Bangladesh National Woman Lawyers’ Association to reduce the high prevalence of domestic violence and other related human rights violations (including child marriage, anti-stalking, dowry, physical humiliation, torture, trafficking, rape and child abduction).

To achieve this goal, PHR is engaging in an array of activities to encourage policy reform and advocacy, enhance public awareness, and increase public dialogue between the government and civil society on issues of domestic violence and other associated human rights abuses. Interventions under PHR include: 1) advocating for the Government of Bangladesh to adopt and enforce comprehensive women‘s rights and domestic violence policies that includes legislation as the Domestic Violence Bill; 2) ensuring that survivors of domestic violence and other related human rights abuses have greater access to justice; 3) increasing the awareness and capacity of communities throughout Bangladesh to reduce domestic violence.

Duration: 
2011 - 2016
Location(s): 
Bangladesh

Youth Program Expands to Vietnam

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Gender Equality Movement in Schools (GEMS) to be adopted in Da Nang province
Wed, 01/11/2012
Gillian Gaynair

ICRW’s program that promotes equality among girls and boys in Mumbai-area schools is now taking root in a central Vietnamese province.

An International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) program in India that encourages gender equality among youth through the public school system now is being adopted in Vietnam.

Da Nang province in central Vietnam will roll out a culturally relevant adaptation of ICRW’s Gender Equity Movement in Schools (GEMS) program over the next three years. ICRW experts will help develop training materials and classroom curriculum for teachers to implement the program as well as design a process to evaluate its impact among students.

GEMS’s expansion to Vietnam builds on a growing body of ICRW research and programs that focus on encouraging more equity between girls and boys. Experts hope that evidence gathered from the India and Vietnam programs can inform future policy discussions around education systems’ role in promoting non-violence and gender equality, as well as spark increased investments in such efforts targeting young people.

“Public education systems greatly influence attitudes among young people but are under-utilized in promoting gender-equitable norms,” explained Ravi Verma, director of ICRW’s Asia Regional Office in New Delhi.  “GEMS aims to change this.”

ICRW launched GEMS in 2008 in 30 Mumbai schools. Through interactive activities, the program champions equal relationships between girls and boys, dissects norms that define men's and women's roles in society, and addresses different forms of violence and how to intervene. GEMS students, who are 12 to 14 years old, also learn how and why their bodies change during puberty as well as talk about what makes for healthy relationships. 

In 2011, GEMS began an expansion into 250 additional schools in the Mumbai area. Among the materials facilitators use in the school setting is the GEMS Diary, which Verma said is currently being translated into Vietnamese for its new audience.

Gillian Gaynair is ICRW’s senior writer and editor.

Fertility Declines and Gender Inequality in China, 1970-2010

Fertility Declines and Gender Inequality in China, 1970-2010

Xiaogang Wu, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; Hua Ye, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; Gloria Guangye He, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
2011

This paper explores the consequences of the recent dramatic fertility decline in China by examining the effects of sibship size and composition on inequality in socioeconomic achievement between men and women.  Drawing primarily from the China General Social Survey, the authors' findings suggest that women from families with more siblings are more disadvantaged both in terms of their schooling and their job status. 

The abstract is available here. This research is part of a series of empirical studies from the Fertility and Empowerment Network, which is examining whether and to what extent increasingly smaller family sizes in lower and middle income countries have empowered women or resulted in fundamental transformations in inequitable gender systems.

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We encourage the use and dissemination of our publications for non-commercial, educational purposes. Portions may be reproduced with acknowledgment to the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW). For questions, please contact publications@icrw.org; or (202) 797-0007.

Terms and Conditions »

Strategic Framework and Implementation Guidelines for Reducing HIV-related Stigma in India

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Globally, stigma and discrimination impede HIV prevention, testing and treatment efforts. Yet research by ICRW and others shows that stigma and discrimination can be reduced in different contexts, such as the community and health facilities, thus contributing to the success of HIV programs and services.

India’s National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) recognizes HIV-related stigma as a key challenge to controlling the epidemic. With support from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and in collaboration with NACO, ICRW designed and tested a strategic framework and implementation guidelines for stigma reduction in multiple settings in India. The framework built on one previously developed by a global working group made up of stigma experts and led by ICRW. The framework for India identifies key entry points for stigma-focused programming and measurement.  

ICRW also provided technical support to select organizations in applying the framework and guidelines for stigma reduction.  ICRW then collected data on the organizations’ experiences in applying the tools and used the information to finalize the strategic framework and implementation guidelines. The final tools as well as study outcome was widely disseminated to guide policymakers and practitioners in addressing HIV-related stigma and discrimination at the local and national levels.

Overall, ICRW found that the global framework was relevant to the Indian context and feasible for use by organizations and institutions in guiding stigma-reduction program development, implementation and measurement. Learning from the pilot interventions offers guidelines for broader implementation.

Duration: 
November 2011 to March 2013
Location(s): 
India
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