Calling all women entrepreneurs: 2023 experiences survey

The Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, in partnership with Intuit, is launching its 2023 annual audit: a key survey of the experiences of women entrepreneurs in low and middle income countries. We will use the findings to create a better world for women entrepreneurs.

The survey should take around 15 minutes to complete. You can complete it in English, Spanish or French. It is completely anonymous. At the end of the survey, you will have the option to enter our $50 USD prize draw.

We want to hear about the challenges you face, your motivations as an entrepreneur and what changes you feel need to happen in your community and beyond so that your business and those of your fellow women entrepreneurs can achieve success.

This year, we particularly want to hear about your use of and access to digital services and tools, as well as any online gender-based violence and harassment you may have experienced.

By taking part in this survey you will:

• Help our efforts to shape global policy.
• Inform what support is needed from the private sector, governments and NGOs.
• Have your voice heard across the world.
• Help us make supporting women entrepreneurs a priority.
• Contribute to long-term, positive change for women entrepreneurs.

You can be running a business of any size and in any industry, in any low or middle income country. It doesn’t matter if you are a new entrepreneur or if you have been in business for years.

The Foundation has conducted this report three times before and used it to inform a wide range of advocacy and policy work with governments, multilateral organisations, financial institutions and the private sector. In the past, our survey has uncovered and raised awareness of important findings, such as:

• In 2022, 9 out of 10 respondents told us the cost of living crisis and high inflation had negatively impacted their businesses.
• In 2022, half (49%) told us that their unpaid care work increased since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, with 19% reporting that it had undermined the performance or limited the growth of their business.
• In 2022, 44% felt they did not have equal access to formal investment opportunities.
• In 2020, 83% told us the COVID-19 pandemic had had a negative impact on their businesses. Nearly half (46.9%) of those whose businesses were at risk of closing said they would struggle to support themselves if that happened, 43.8% would struggle to support their families, and over a third (34.4%) would struggle to afford basic necessities, like food.
• In 2019, 62% told us they had experienced negative gender stereotypes about women entrepreneurs, most commonly that women should prioritise motherhood and domestic duties.

The results of this survey will be included in a major report that will be shared with international policymakers including the UN, national governments, the media and corporates working with women entrepreneurs. The report will have clear recommendations in order to help change the system to work better for women entrepreneurs. The findings will also be used to inform the Foundation’s services for women.  As such, your participation will be extremely valuable.

Deadline: End of day, Friday 8 December

We encourage you to share the survey widely with other women entrepreneurs in low and middle income countries too.

Thank you very much for your time.

This project is supported by…