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ECONOMICREFORM
Feature Service
Center for International Private Enterprise
Economic Inclusion: Leveraging Markets and
Entrepreneurship to Extend Opportunity
Article at a glance
•	 Economic inclusion refers to equality of
opportunity for all members of society to
participate in the economic life of their country
as employers, entrepreneurs, consumers, and
citizens. Fostering inclusion through active
participation in the market economy involves
increasingaccesstoopportunitywhilegenerating
additional economic growth. Effective strategies
for inclusion engage under-represented groups
in the design and implementation of policies
and programs.
•	 The article illustrates ways to promote youth
entrepreneurship and women’s entrepreneurship
and to facilitate the inclusion of informal
entrepreneurs in the formal economy.
May 26, 2015
Kim Eric Bettcher, PhD, Senior Knowledge Manager, CIPE
Teodora Mihaylova, Research Coordinator, CIPE
®
To comment on this article, visit the CIPE Development Blog: www.cipe.org/blog
Center for International Private Enterprise
1211 Connecticut Avenue, NW | Suite 700 | Washington, DC 20036
ph: (202) 721-9200 | fax: (202) 721-9250 | www.cipe.org | forum@cipe.org
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Center for International Private Enterprise
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Introduction
Economic growth generates the resources needed
to lift people and nations out of poverty, raise
standards of living, and support an active civic life. Yet
growth and its benefits do not extend to all parts of
society evenly. Nor do all models of growth produce
widespread opportunity.
Fostering inclusive growth has become a global
priority as a means toward building fairer, stronger
societies. Economic inclusion is essential to sustaining
growth, building the middle class, raising national
competitiveness, and promoting social and political
inclusion. It goes beyond addressing the basic needs
of the poor and vulnerable populations to actively
engaging them in productive activities and helping
them realize their full economic potential.
Economic inclusion bolsters the sustainability
of market development because it builds buy-in for
economic reforms. Furthermore, people who have
a stake in the economic system and the prospect of
social mobility have incentives to support economic
and democratic development and claim a stake in the
broader society. Ultimately, people from all income
levels and all walks of life must have opportunities
to shape their own destinies. This is what CIPE calls
“democracy that delivers.”1
Definition and Goals of Economic
Inclusion
Economic inclusion refers to equality of
opportunity for all members of society to participate
in the economic life of their country as employees,
entrepreneurs, consumers, and citizens. Individuals of
all social backgrounds and income strata should have
opportunities to participate in the economy and reap
the benefits of their participation.2
Fundamentally,
inclusion entails access without bias to markets,
resources, and opportunities.3
Inclusiveness spreads through complementary
changes on two levels. On one level, communities
enlarge economic opportunities for individuals of
diverse backgrounds by extending access to markets
and opportunities for education, employment, and
entrepreneurship.4
On a second level, individuals
acquire the abilities needed to contribute productively
and take advantage of market opportunities.5
Naturally, these levels of change are interrelated and
successful inclusion comes about when individuals and
communities become better connected in dynamic
ecosystems.
Fostering inclusion through active participation in
the economy involves increasing access to opportunity
by greater numbers of workers, entrepreneurs, and
consumers in ways that generate additional economic
growth. Successful inclusion unlocks the potential
of more and more individuals and communities and
empowers them to improve their circumstances and
status. This active process differs from other responses
to inequality that focus solely on reshaping outcomes,
such as supplementing income levels or altering the
distribution of wealth.
Sawtouna “Our Voice” in Jordan6
Publicparticipationisessentialtoachievingsustainable
economic reform in a democratic process. Because
the business sector plays a crucial role in growing the
economy, representatives of business groups must
be included in economic policy deliberations. In
Jordan, however, few non-governmental bodies have
brought business concerns to the policy debate, or
promoted an independent and transparent review of
policy. The Young Entrepreneurs Association (YEA)
of Jordan, a membership based, non-governmental
organization, has stepped in to fill this gap as an
articulate representative of the private sector. In
2006, YEA partnered with CIPE to promote private
sector advocacy and bring policy issues to public
attention. This partnership established Sawtouna,
meaning “our voice,” as the analytical and advocacy
arm of YEA. Through Sawtouna, YEA published
policy papers and pursued a rigorous advocacy
agenda aimed at easing the process of starting a
business. As a result, the government adopted
legislation to improve the environment for start-
ups and encourage private sector growth in Jordan.
With Sawtouna, YEA focused the bulk of its efforts
on improving the startup environment for small
and medium enterprises and emphasized that the
pursuit of entrepreneurship should be open to all.
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Center for International Private EnterpriseEconomic Inclusion: Leveraging Markets
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There are diverse approaches to building inclusion,
each catering to different groups and their respective
roles in the economy. In general, though, the overall
objective of inclusion comprises several distinct goals:
•	 Broad-based job creation is the means by
which most people and households create
value and pursue economic opportunity.
The quality and productivity of jobs are key
factors.
•	 Expanding entrepreneurship creates
opportunities for business founders and new
jobs for others. The viability of new firms and
their growth prospects are key factors.
•	 Access to markets, finance, and information
secures the resources needed to manage firms
and households. Both market institutions and
intermediaries are key factors.
•	 Marketing goods and services to the “bottom
of the pyramid” allows the consumption
needs of the full spectrum of the population
to be met.
Effective solutions to these challenges have two
common threads. First, entrepreneurs and other
stakeholders (including marginalized or under-
represented groups) are directly involved in the
solutions – taking action in the shaping of the
economy or articulating their perspectives in decision-
making. Second, institutional reforms provide a
sound foundation for large-scale change by providing
incentives and opportunities for individuals to create
value.
Leveraging Markets to Promote Inclusion
CIPE’s strategy for inclusion is founded on
promoting private sector-led growth. In most
countries, the private sector is the driving force behind
economic growth and job creation. In an open market
economy, private firms drive gains in innovation and
productivity and provide opportunities along the
entire value chain. By contrast, public hiring programs
for economic empowerment have diminishing returns.
These can create privileged groups and rent seeking,
and eventually crowd out the private sector.
Market-oriented approaches in the quest for
inclusiveness have the necessary ingredients for
achieving sustainability and scale. Market solutions
are responsive to demand, and generate resources that
can be reinvested in firms and job creation. Programs
for realizing economic inclusion should therefore be
linked to markets and not dependent on government
or donor services.
Programs that address individuals’ interests (such
as microfinance or career skills development) have a
significant role to play in preparing them to participate
in competitive markets and the mainstream economy.
To leverage that impact, these programs should be
linked with reforms to the institutional framework,
including property rights, bankruptcy laws, economic
informality, and the rule of law. Otherwise, services to
individuals usually fail to generate sustained growth
and improvements in firms and households.
Attention to the economic empowerment of
women, youth, and other marginalized groups is
essential. Integrating these groups effectively in the
economy has positive effects on families and releases
untapped potential. Due to traditional barriers,
investments in the human capital, capacity, and
networks of these groups is typically required.
Setting Goals for Inclusion through
Entrepreneurship
Talent and hidden assets can be found in many
communities, including among underserved
populations. In between the highest-growth startups
and the subsistence enterprises of emerging economies,
there is a broadening segment of small businesses and
startups. Many of these firms and entrepreneurs have
potential to generate growth and jobs for less privileged
communities.
Center for International Private Enterprise
Key achievements included reducing the minimum
capital requirement for businesses seeking limited
liability status from 30,000 to 1,000 Jordanian
dinars, as well as simplification of business licensing
and registration requirements.
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Center for International Private Enterprise Economic Inclusion: Leveraging Markets
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A strategy to tap this potential and promote
inclusion must select its goals from among multiple –
often related and, at times, competing – considerations.
The first goal is to encourage more individuals
of diverse backgrounds to become entrepreneurs.
Entrepreneurs themselves form the core of an
entrepreneurial ecosystem.7
Where traditional
employmentopportunitiesarescarce,entrepreneurship
provides a route to avoid dependence on the social
safety net and discover paths to advancement.
Education has an important role to play here
in shaping career aspirations, critical thinking, and
attitudes toward problem solving and risk. Cultural
change is also part of the process needed to encourage
experimentation and learning instead of shunning
failure, and to embrace entrepreneurs as creators of
value in society.
A second goal is to foster the growth of firms.
Developing countries already have high rates of self-
employment. What they need is not so much a greater
quantity of micro-enterprises but higher-quality
startups and growing firms that are more productive
and suited for investment. Scaling up firms around
viable business models creates jobs and stimulates
further growth. This means orienting firms toward
value creation: identifying unmet needs of customers
and society, and ensuring profitability.
The third goal is to implement institutional reforms
that facilitate the realization of the first two goals.
Improving the business climate is a priority for small
and medium enterprises,8
which are disproportionately
affected by administrative burdens and unpredictable
environments.9
Small firms have limited resources
for compliance and often contend with regulations
written for the benefit of established interests. Barriers
to business should be lowered to allow new entrants
with more limited means.
Systemic barriers to the growth of firms include
weak property rights, complex and onerous tax
regimes, widespread corruption and an unpredictable
regulatory environment. These issues inhibit job
creation, penalize profitability, and restrict opportunity
to those with better access to resources and influence.
The fourth goal is to bring entrepreneurs and
businesses that have been isolated into the mainstream
economy.Thisincludesformalizingbusinesses,opening
access to markets and financial services, and extending
public services.10
This is accomplished through legal
reform, development of private networks, and public
investments.
A final goal is to promote local development
of communities, nurturing healthy entrepreneurial
ecosystems, and linking them to national and global
economies. Cities tend to provide the best setting for
theorganicdevelopmentofentrepreneurialecosystems.
Nurturing the development of multiple cities and
regions across a country promotes diversification
and reduces disparities. A focus on local ecosystems
enables community actors to come together and build
synergies from the ground up. The role and ability
of local authorities to promote entrepreneurship and
integrate these activities in the national framework is
vital to the success of national economic plans.11
How to Engage Under-represented
Groups
Historically many groups have been excluded
from mainstream economic and political life. In part
as a result of discriminatory practices at the local
and national levels, women, youth, minorities, and
informal sector operators are underrepresented in both
employment and entrepreneurship activities. The best
way to serve marginalized groups is to include them in
the design of policies and programs for inclusion while
at the same time building organizations and networks
for outreach. Stakeholder engagement supports
demand-driven policy formation and allows interested
groups to own the change process. Thus, tools and
channels to engage marginalized groups are essential.
Before investing in capabilities or opportunities
for particular groups, one should first assess the nature
of their challenges in relation to their environment.
No single policy or program can achieve inclusion
without regard to the local situation. For instance,
business skills training is effective only if profitable
markets exist in which trainees can apply their skills.
Reforms to the business environment must account
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Center for International Private EnterpriseEconomic Inclusion: Leveraging Markets
and Entrepreneurship to Extend Opportunity
for customary practices that either inhibit or promote
access to markets and services. Network analysis helps
determine how groups are either connected or isolated
from mainstream society and business.
A distinctive combination of actors and methods
is often needed to reach traditionally disadvantaged
populations. Leadership can come from multiple
sectors. For instance, business associations and
business support organizations are important vehicles
for representing, serving, and mobilizing economically
excluded groups. Where associations do not represent
groups effectively, other intermediaries may establish
channels for outreach and mechanisms to overcome
barriers. In either case, building leadership abilities
in target populations is vital to gaining their insights
and commitment to sustaining change. The right
way to engage different populations varies greatly, so
an outreach program should start small, validate the
approach, and scale up.
Engaging under-represented groups means
bringing them into the entrepreneurial ecosystem as
well as building up the ecosystem and lowering the
barriers. In fact, core measures of the health of any
entrepreneurial ecosystem include diversity and
the ability to draw in new entrepreneurs.12
In order
to achieve this, one should involve these groups in
the policy process for reforming ecosystems and
promoting inclusion. They will need advocacy skills,
dialogue platforms, and alliances spanning different
segments of society.
Youth Entrepreneurship
The drive to promote youth entrepreneurship is
motivated by the pressing need to create jobs amid
burgeoning young populations. Especially in places
where public sector careers are the dominant choice
for young graduates, entrepreneurial careers can spark
private sector development and open new paths to
opportunity. Youth entrepreneurship can be seen as
an investment in the capabilities of future business
leaders. Although most young entrepreneurs will not
create permanent jobs for others, they do acquire
valuable experience. Startup experience prepares
youth for future ventures and allows them to bring
entrepreneurial practices into other companies, large
or small. This experience also cultivates leadership
qualities.
Raising human capital is essential to fostering
inclusion. Educators must align skills taught in the
classroom with the needs of employers and markets.
Within educational systems, needed reforms include
incorporating entrepreneurship content into curricula,
expanding vocational education, and adopting
methods of experiential education that promote
active learning and judgment. On the employers’
side, chambers of commerce and business associations
can coordinate private sector investment in youth
entrepreneurial abilities and work force development.
13
Training programs should recognize that students
and trainees often have economic experience;
programs must account for these experiences and
actual market opportunitiesesults for youth can be
improved by observing good program practices. Any
policy or program for youth should incorporate young
people in the design phase. Leadership development
allows youth to engage more effectively and gives
their participation a broader reach when they extend
their learning to others. Beginning entrepreneurs need
guidance in navigating their ecosystem and will require
a variety of supports and services—in addition to
training and financing—to be successful. In particular,
aspiring entrepreneurs should connect with and learn
from more experienced entrepreneurs and should not
be grouped only with peers of similar background and
ability.14
Developing Entrepreneurial Talent and
Leadership among Youth in Peru15
Since 2008, CIPE has worked with Instituto Invertir,
a Peruvian non-profit organization with a mission to
promote entrepreneurship and business development
to foster economic inclusion among youth in rural
Peru. Beyond just teaching youth about democracy
and the benefits of a free-market economy, Invertir
provides young people with the necessary tools to
become entrepreneurs and create opportunities not
only for themselves, but also for their communities.
EmprendeAhora was designed as a leadership and
entrepreneurship training program to give university
students from rural Peru the necessary tools and
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Women’s Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship empowers women economically
and creates new sources of growth. In turn, women’s
empowerment has transformative effects outside
the economy, as women support their families,
take leadership roles in communities, and become
advocates for social change.
To empower women, countries must address
institutional barriers and cultural norms. In most
developing nations, women entrepreneurs face
barriers in addition to those that men face. A lack
of property rights, for instance, can prevent women
from investing in businesses or obtaining finance.
Often, discrimination is reflected in practice more
than in the law due to gender-specific implementation
gaps.17
Customary practices can be at odds with
formal property and land rights, with a strong
effect on women’s productivity.18
Women are also
disproportionately affected by economic informality.
Economic opportunity for women begins with
equal treatment in the workplace, a safe work
environment, and provisions for child care and
maternity leave.19
The next challenge is to ensure that
young women make the transition from education to
the workforce and business. This large gap facing youth
affects young women disproportionately.20
Women-
owned businesses already contribute significantly
to the global economy and there is no shortage of
empowerment to open businesses, generate income,
and create local employment. While these types
of programs are reasonably prevalent in Lima,
nationwide programs directed towards youth from
outside the capital area are fairly uncommon. After
six years of implementation, EmprendeAhora
has empowered nearly 780 young Peruvians who
have acquired business and leadership skills that
will allow them to become change agents in their
regions. Roughly ten percent of program graduates
are already implementing their own businesses,
and that percentage is expected to double based on
the number of students who are in the process of
starting a business. Furthermore, alumni volunteer,
work with non-governmental organizations on social
issues, and incorporate social projects into their line
of business.
Improving the Environment for Youth
Entrepreneurship in Nepal16
In partnership with the CIPE Samriddhi, The
Prosperity Foundation, has focused on expanding
youth’s access to economic opportunities in Nepal
primarilythroughthepromotionofentrepreneurship,
economic policy reform, and improvement of the
business environment. Samriddhi’s Arthalaya School
of Economics and Entrepreneurship program has
educated and trained four hundred university
students on topics such as markets and policies and
offered participants an opportunity to gain practical
entrepreneurial skills.
The program incorporates classroom training and
practical hands-on exercises to equip young people
with the business skills necessary to start their own
ventures. The classroom component of the program
consists of five day workshops that promote the
spirit and skills of entrepreneurship and familiarize
young people with concepts related to rule of law,
the business environment, incentive systems and
human resource management, policy watch on
government and markets, how markets function, the
role of government, and leadership skills necessary
to set up a business. The classroom experience is
supplemented with an active alumni network,
university entrepreneurship clubs, and mock business
competitions. More than two dozen students
have started their own ventures and have become
entrepreneurs and many are involved in promoting
entrepreneurship in their schools and communities
through activities such as writing blogs and articles
and opening entrepreneurshipclubs in their colleges.
More than 20 such entrepreneurship clubs have been
brought into existence by Arthalaya graduates who
organize activities to inspire their friends to become
entrepreneurs and to promote networking and
capacity building. The success of the entrepreneurship
program is evident in that Samriddhi has attained
long-term financial sustainability through domestic
sources of funding.
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talent among female entrepreneurs. What is necessary
is to encourage women to set their entrepreneurial
ambitions higher.21
Developing networks for women entrepreneurs22
and extending access to mentors, markets, and
opportunities23
may be the most powerful way to
empower women economically. Networks are two-
way undertakings, however, so in addition to helping
women learn one must give women active voice and
leadership roles. For all these goals, gender-specific
programs are required. At the same time, care should
be taken not to isolate women and to adopt a gender
lens across all programming.
Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in
Bangladesh24
In Bangladesh, CIPE partnered with the Bangladesh
Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(BWCCI) to expand economic opportunities for
women and facilitate their involvement in the
policymaking process. BWCCI developed a robust
advocacy strategy and a Women’s National Business
Agenda with thirty recommendations to improve the
policy environment for women entrepreneurs. The
advocacy produced a number of reforms. The Central
Bank issued instructions to commercial banks
to increase lending to women-owned businesses,
including collateral-free loans at a reduced interest
rate. As a result of these efforts, $93 million in SME
loans has been provided to almost 10,000 women,
helping create tens of thousands of new jobs.
Overall, the proportion of women entrepreneurs in
the country receiving commercial bank loans has
increased from 19 percent in 2007 to over 50 percent
today. More than 65 percent of the country’s banks
now have dedicated desks for women borrowers,
staffed with specially-trained personnel who can
cater to the specific needs of women entrepreneurs.
BWCCI also helped improve business processes for
women such as introducing favorable tax regimes for
women entrepreneurs, and reducing harassment and
corruption by streamlining procedures for business
registration and renewal. Finally, three BWCCI board
members have been nominated by the government to
the boards of state-run banks, where they can bring
further iattention to the needs of women borrowers.
Women’s Entrepreneurship in
Pakistan25
In Pakistan, women comprise 52 percent of the
population and yet only three percent are engaged
in economic activities in the formal sector, according
to the Federal Bureau of Statistics. While the reasons
for this discrepancy are complex, one aspect was
the previous absence of women’s business networks
and chambers of commerce. Until an amendment
in 2006, the 1961 Trade Organizations Ordinance
– which governed the formation and operation of
chambers of commerce and business associations in
Pakistan – did not allow women to form chambers of
commerce. Because of this, there was no legal way for
women entrepreneurs to form their own chambers
that would be uniquely suited and responsive to their
needs.
CIPE’s Pakistan office worked with the Federation
of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry
(FPCCI) and the Ministry of Commerce to reform
the law. In April 2006, the Ministry of Commerce
created a six-member committee to review the 1961
Trade Organizations Ordinance and recommended
changes through a consultative process. Based
on the input of 150 representatives from various
chambers and sectoral associations, the committee
drafted legislation, which eventually became the new
Ordinance. This law enhanced freedom of association
and created new self-governance mechanisms for
chambers and associations.
Crucially for women entrepreneurs, the 2006
Trade Organizations Ordinance also compelled all
regional chambers to induct at least two women
members onto city chamber boards and allowed
for the creation of women’s chambers of commerce.
There are now 60 female board members in regional
chambers and eight women’s chambers have been
registered, with an approximate membership of over
2,000 women entrepreneurs and business owners.
The revised law gave women entrepreneurs a voice
in the economy and policymaking. CIPE’s capacity
building programs, workshops, and consultative
sessions have helped board members develop the
skills and tools needed to ensure sustainability,
increase membership, and effectively advocate for
policy reforms. Women’s chambers and business
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Informal Economy
The informal sector, present in all countries,
represents a third or more of employment in
developing and transitional economies.26
Informal
businesses produce legitimate goods and services
without maintaining legal status or complying with
all laws on the books. Firms and workers may remain
informal as a result of exclusion – high barriers to entry
– or disincentives to operate in the formal sector –
including burdensome tax regimes and deficient public
services. Policies that shift business into the formal
economy may improve the performance of firms,
provide protection to workers, increase public revenue,
and increase confidence in public institutions.27
Expanding access to opportunity for informal
entrepreneurs can create jobs and improve the business
environment. Bringing entrepreneurs into the formal
economy opens access to wider markets and also
helps develop underserved markets. It is important
to recognize different situations and incentives within
the informal sector. While subsistence enterprises are
symptomatic of scarcity in the labor market, a number
of unofficial enterprises have the potential to be
competitive in the formal economy.28
Reform initiatives should begin by identifying
the obstacles to formality and the sources of high
business costs. These may include business registration
and licensing requirements, tax procedures, labor
regulations, or the absence of property rights or
bankruptcy protection. Note that the implementation
of regulations and their effect on firms varies a lot
by size of firm, location, and the quality of public
governance. Besides simplifying business procedures,
authorities should encourage participatory rulemaking
in which smaller firms can communicate how they
are impacted by the regulations. Hand in hand with
reductions in the costs of formality, the benefits of
formal status must be established – access to markets,
services, and finance – to encourage firms to become
and stay formal.
associations are an effective platform for empowering
women and increase participation in economic
policy. Chambers and business associations play a
key role in helping entrepreneurs and those that are
considering entrepreneurship undertake successful
business ventures, engage in policy advocacy, and
provide mentorship and networking opportunities
for women. Addressing Informality in Senegal29
Senegal has high rates of unemployment and
corruption as well as one of the largest informal
sectors in Sub-Saharan Africa. In 2011, CIPE
partnered with UNACOIS, the country’s largest
and most representative and well-organized business
association, to empower small and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs) to engage in public-private
dialogue and to better serve the needs of UNACOIS
members. UNACOIS has 70,000 members, the
overwhelming majority of whom are small and
medium businesses operating in the informal
sector.  UNACOIS determined that high tax rates
and the complex tax code was one of the major issues
facing businesses in Senegal as well as one of the main
causes of informality in the SME sector.
UNACOIS developed an evidence-based policy
paper with recommendations on tax reforms for the
SME sector based on a comprehensive consultative
process with members. Senegal’s parliament passed
legislation to reform the Senegal Tax Code, which
included all UNACOIS’s recommendations. This
resulted in a more streamlined tax code for SMEs
with tax rates that are more proportional to their
profit margins. Importantly, a more uniform and
proportional tax code for the SME sector will help
formalize Senegal’s informal sector, which in turn
will expand the government’s tax base and promote
accountability and transparency. As a direct result of
the new tax regulations, informal sector operators
have reported a decreasing number of disputes with
local authorities. Prior to the legislative changes,
one of UNACOIS’ main services to members was
to intervene in court on behalf of informal sector
members whose businesses were shut down or goods
confiscated by the police due to their informal status
and not paying any taxes. On average, UNACOIS’s
national headquarters intervened in over 200 cases
per year. Within one year of the new Code taking
effect, UNACOIS has been involved in only two
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Center for International Private EnterpriseEconomic Inclusion: Leveraging Markets
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Conclusion
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) call
for ending poverty, addressing global inequalities
and “leaving no one behind” by “supporting
vulnerable groups, achieving gender equality and the
empowerment of women and girls”.30
The post-2015
development agenda also calls attention to “fostering
sustainable economic transformation” by “building
resilient and dynamic economies and supporting youth
employment”.31
Private sector-led development can
help fulfil the agenda of the Sustainable Development
Goals by encouraging economic inclusion in the form
of employment and entrepreneurship opportunities
for traditionally under-served members of society.
This paper has outlined strategies for promoting
economic inclusion with a focus on women, youth and
informal sector entrepreneurs. Effective approaches to
the challenges of inclusion involve entrepreneurs and
other stakeholders (including marginalized or under-
represented groups) in the solutions. They combine
individual empowerment and market-based reforms to
create diverse, expanding entrepreneurial ecosystems.
This integration of social groups and the opportunities
that result form the basis of democracy that delivers.
Endnotes
1
John D. Sullivan Introductory Remarks, Daniel Cordova
Visit at NED
2
EBRD “Economic Inclusion in Transition” http://www.
ebrd.com/downloads/research/transition/tr13e.pdf, p. 79
3
Elena Ianchovichina and Susanna Lundstrom, “What
is Inclusive Growth.” World Bank. February 10, 200
9 http://siteresources.worldbank.
org/INTDEBTDEPT/Resources/468980-1218567884549/
WhatIsInclusiveGrowth20081230.pdf
4
Europe 2020: A European strategy for smart, sustainable,
and inclusive growth”, European Commission, March 3,
2010, http://ec.europa.eu/eu2020/pdf/COMPLET%20
EN%20BARROSO%20%20%20007%20-%20Europe%20
2020%20-%20EN%20version.pdf
5
EBRD “Economic Inclusion in Transition” http://www.
ebrd.com/downloads/research/transition/tr13e.pdf, p. 79
6
Ngozika Amalu, “A Voice for Young Entrepreneurs,”
Strategies for Policy Reform, Vol. 2, CIPE
7
Dane Strangler and Jordan Bell-Masterson “Measuring
an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem”, Kauffman Foundation March
2015. http://www.kauffman.org/~/media/kauffman_org/
research%20reports%20and%20covers/2015/03/measuring_
an_entrepreneurial_ecosystem.pdf
8
European Commission Communication to the
European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic
and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions “A
Stronger Role of the Private Sector in Achieving Inclusive and
Sustainable Growth in Developing Countries.” May 13, 2014
9
OECD “Promoting Entrepreneurship and Innovative
SMEs in a Global Economy” Second OECD Conference
of Ministers Responsible for Small and Medium-Sized
Enterprises, June 2004
10
European Commission Communication to the
European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic
and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.
“A Stronger Role of the Private Sector in Achieving Inclusive
and Sustainable Growth in Developing Countries.” May 13,
2014.
11
OECD “Promoting Entrepreneurship and Innovative
SMEs in a Global Economy” Second OECD Conference
of Ministers Responsible for Small and Medium-
Sized Enterprises, June 2004, http://www.oecd.org/cfe/
smes/31919590.pdf
12
Dane Strangler and Jordan Bell-Masterson. “Measuring
an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem,” Kauffman Foundation.
March 2015. http://www.kauffman.org/~/media/kauffman_
org/research%20reports%20and%20covers/2015/03/
measuring_an_entrepreneurial_ecosystem.pdf
13
CIPE Guide to Youth Entrepreneurship Programs for
Chambers of Commerce and Business Associations, 2013.
14
David James-Wilson, Youth Livelihoods Development
Program Guide, USAID EQUIP3, June 2008. pp. vi-vii.
15
Brent Ruth “Developing Entrepreneurial Talent and
Leadership Among Youth in Peru”, Strategies for Policy
Reform, vol. 3, CIPE
16
Sarita Sapkota and Teodora Mihaylova “Improving the
Environment for Entrepreneurship in Nepal”, Strategies for
Policy Reform, vol. 3, CIPE
such cases. Now that these informal members have an
avenue for complying with local business regulations,
such as payment of taxes, they are able to operate
more freely and without fear of interference by
local authorities.
FS_May 2015 Economic Inclusion Toolkit AF edits.indd 9 5/26/2015 10:17:07 AM
Center for International Private Enterprise Economic Inclusion: Leveraging Markets
and Entrepreneurship to Extend Opportunity
– 10 –
17
Carmen Niethammer, “Women, Entrepreneurship, and
the Opportunity to Promote Development and Business,”
Brookings Blum Roundtable Policy Brief, 2013, p. 37.
18
Marya Buvinić, Rebecca Furst-Nichols, and Emily
Courey Pryor, “A Roadmap for Promoting Women’s
Economic Empowerment,” United Nations Foundation and
ExxonMobil, 2013, p. 39.
19
OECD “Promoting Entrepreneurship and Innovative
SMEs in a Global Economy” Second OECD Conference
of Ministers Responsible for Small and Medium-Sized
Enterprises, June 2004, p. 17
20
Buvinić et al., p. 47.
21
Lesa Mitchell, “Overcoming the Gender Gap: Women
Entrepreneurs as Economic Drivers,” Kauffman Foundation,
September 2011.
22
OECD “Promoting Entrepreneurship and Innovative
SMEs in a Global Economy” Second OECD Conference
of Ministers Responsible for Small and Medium-Sized
Enterprises, June 2004, p. 17
23
Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2010 Women’s
Report cited in Buvinić et al., p. 65.
24
Marc Schleifer and Maiko Nakagaki “Empowering
Women Entrepreneurs in Bangladesh”, Strategies for Policy
Reform, vol. 3, CIPE
25
Anna Nadgrodkiewicz, “Empowering Women
Entrepreneurs: The Impact of the 2006 Trade Organizations
Ordinance in Pakistan” April 29, 2011. CIPE
26
Workers in the Informal Economy, World Bank,
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/
EXTSOCIALPROTECTION/EXTLM/0,,contentMDK:202
24904~menuPK:584866~pagePK:148956~piPK:216618~th
eSitePK:390615,00.html
27
Koos van Elk and Jan de Kok, Enterprise Formalization:
Fact or Fiction? GIZ, May 2014, pp. 4-5.
28
Ishengoma, E. and R. Kappel (2006), “Formalization of
informalenterprises:economicgrowthandpoverty”,Eschborn:
Economic Reform and Private Sector Development Section,
GTZ; cited in ILO and GIZ, “Enterprise Formalization: Fact
or Fiction? A Quest for Case Studies” (GIZ, 2014), available
at http://www.ilo.org/empent/units/boosting-employment-
through-small-enterprise-development/WCMS_245359/
lang--en/index.htm
29
Teodora Mihaylova and Erica Poff “Formalizing Public-
Private Dialogue with the Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise
Sector in Senegal”, Strategies for Policy Reform vol. 3, CIPE
30
United Nations Summit to adopt the post-2015
development agenda, https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org
/?page=view&nr=1064&type=13&menu=1300
31
United Nations Summit to adopt the post-2015
development agenda, https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org
/?page=view&nr=1064&type=13&menu=1300
____________________________________________________
Kim Eric Bettcher, PhD leads the Center
for International Private Enterprise’s knowledge
management initiative, which captures lessons learned
in democratic and economic institution-building
around the world. The initiative shares strategies, best
practices, and lessons with an international network
of reform leaders. Bettcher has written and edited
numerous resources for CIPE, especially toolkits on
public-private dialogue and anti-corruption, a report
on Creating the Environment for Entrepreneurial
Success, three case study collections, the CIPE Guide
to Governance Reform, and CIPE’s 25-Year Impact
Evaluation. Bettcher has published articles in the
Harvard Business Review, Party Politics, SAIS Review,
and the Business History Review. He has taught as an
adjunct professor at George Mason University’s School
of Public Policy and was previously a research associate
at Harvard Business School. Bettcher holds a PhD in
political science from Johns Hopkins University and a
bachelor’s degree from Harvard College.
Teodora Mihaylova is the Research Coordinator for
the Knowledge Management team at the Center for
International Private Enterprise (CIPE). Mihaylova
is involved with research, and writing of case studies,
toolkits, and papers synthesizing best practices and
lessons learned from CIPE programs around the
world on democratization and transition to market
economies. She works with staff and partners
to facilitate information sharing and adoption
of knowledge management practices across the
organization. She leads staff development initiatives
and manages the capturing and dissemination of
organizational knowledge. Mihaylova has a master’s
degree in European Studies from Georgetown’s School
FS_May 2015 Economic Inclusion Toolkit AF edits.indd 10 5/26/2015 10:17:07 AM
– 11 –
Center for International Private EnterpriseEconomic Inclusion: Leveraging Markets
and Entrepreneurship to Extend Opportunity
of Foreign Service and bachelor’s degree in Foreign
Affairs from the University of Virginia.
The views expressed by the author(s) are his/her
own and do not necessarily represent the views of the
Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE).
CIPE grants permission to reprint, translate, and/
or publish original articles from its Economic Reform
Feature Service provided that (1) proper attribution
is given to the original author and to CIPE and (2)
CIPE is notified where the article is placed and a copy
is provided to CIPE’s Washington office.
The Economic Reform Feature Service is
CIPE’s online and electronic distribution service. It
provides in-depth articles designed for a network of
policymakers, business leaders, civic reformers, scholars,
and others interested in the issues relating to economic
reform and its connection to democratic development.
CIPE welcomes articles submitted by readers. Most
articles run between 3-7 pages (1,000- 3,000 words).
All submissions relevant to CIPE’s mission will be
considered based on merit.
The Center for International Private Enterprise
(CIPE) strengthens democracy around the globe
through private enterprise and market-oriented reform.
CIPE is one of the four core institutes of the National
Endowment for Democracy and an affiliate of the U.S.
Chamber of Commerce. Since 1983, CIPE has worked
with business leaders, policymakers, and civil society
to build the institutions vital to a democratic society.
CIPE’s key program areas include anti-corruption and
ethics, enterprise ecosystems, business advocacy, and
democratic governance.
FS_May 2015 Economic Inclusion Toolkit AF edits.indd 11 5/26/2015 10:17:07 AM

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Economic Inclusion Toolkit

  • 1. ECONOMICREFORM Feature Service Center for International Private Enterprise Economic Inclusion: Leveraging Markets and Entrepreneurship to Extend Opportunity Article at a glance • Economic inclusion refers to equality of opportunity for all members of society to participate in the economic life of their country as employers, entrepreneurs, consumers, and citizens. Fostering inclusion through active participation in the market economy involves increasingaccesstoopportunitywhilegenerating additional economic growth. Effective strategies for inclusion engage under-represented groups in the design and implementation of policies and programs. • The article illustrates ways to promote youth entrepreneurship and women’s entrepreneurship and to facilitate the inclusion of informal entrepreneurs in the formal economy. May 26, 2015 Kim Eric Bettcher, PhD, Senior Knowledge Manager, CIPE Teodora Mihaylova, Research Coordinator, CIPE ® To comment on this article, visit the CIPE Development Blog: www.cipe.org/blog Center for International Private Enterprise 1211 Connecticut Avenue, NW | Suite 700 | Washington, DC 20036 ph: (202) 721-9200 | fax: (202) 721-9250 | www.cipe.org | forum@cipe.org FS_May 2015 Economic Inclusion Toolkit AF edits.indd 1 5/26/2015 10:17:06 AM
  • 2. Center for International Private Enterprise Economic Inclusion: Leveraging Markets and Entrepreneurship to Extend Opportunity – 2 – Center for International Private Enterprise – 2 – Introduction Economic growth generates the resources needed to lift people and nations out of poverty, raise standards of living, and support an active civic life. Yet growth and its benefits do not extend to all parts of society evenly. Nor do all models of growth produce widespread opportunity. Fostering inclusive growth has become a global priority as a means toward building fairer, stronger societies. Economic inclusion is essential to sustaining growth, building the middle class, raising national competitiveness, and promoting social and political inclusion. It goes beyond addressing the basic needs of the poor and vulnerable populations to actively engaging them in productive activities and helping them realize their full economic potential. Economic inclusion bolsters the sustainability of market development because it builds buy-in for economic reforms. Furthermore, people who have a stake in the economic system and the prospect of social mobility have incentives to support economic and democratic development and claim a stake in the broader society. Ultimately, people from all income levels and all walks of life must have opportunities to shape their own destinies. This is what CIPE calls “democracy that delivers.”1 Definition and Goals of Economic Inclusion Economic inclusion refers to equality of opportunity for all members of society to participate in the economic life of their country as employees, entrepreneurs, consumers, and citizens. Individuals of all social backgrounds and income strata should have opportunities to participate in the economy and reap the benefits of their participation.2 Fundamentally, inclusion entails access without bias to markets, resources, and opportunities.3 Inclusiveness spreads through complementary changes on two levels. On one level, communities enlarge economic opportunities for individuals of diverse backgrounds by extending access to markets and opportunities for education, employment, and entrepreneurship.4 On a second level, individuals acquire the abilities needed to contribute productively and take advantage of market opportunities.5 Naturally, these levels of change are interrelated and successful inclusion comes about when individuals and communities become better connected in dynamic ecosystems. Fostering inclusion through active participation in the economy involves increasing access to opportunity by greater numbers of workers, entrepreneurs, and consumers in ways that generate additional economic growth. Successful inclusion unlocks the potential of more and more individuals and communities and empowers them to improve their circumstances and status. This active process differs from other responses to inequality that focus solely on reshaping outcomes, such as supplementing income levels or altering the distribution of wealth. Sawtouna “Our Voice” in Jordan6 Publicparticipationisessentialtoachievingsustainable economic reform in a democratic process. Because the business sector plays a crucial role in growing the economy, representatives of business groups must be included in economic policy deliberations. In Jordan, however, few non-governmental bodies have brought business concerns to the policy debate, or promoted an independent and transparent review of policy. The Young Entrepreneurs Association (YEA) of Jordan, a membership based, non-governmental organization, has stepped in to fill this gap as an articulate representative of the private sector. In 2006, YEA partnered with CIPE to promote private sector advocacy and bring policy issues to public attention. This partnership established Sawtouna, meaning “our voice,” as the analytical and advocacy arm of YEA. Through Sawtouna, YEA published policy papers and pursued a rigorous advocacy agenda aimed at easing the process of starting a business. As a result, the government adopted legislation to improve the environment for start- ups and encourage private sector growth in Jordan. With Sawtouna, YEA focused the bulk of its efforts on improving the startup environment for small and medium enterprises and emphasized that the pursuit of entrepreneurship should be open to all. FS_May 2015 Economic Inclusion Toolkit AF edits.indd 2 5/26/2015 10:17:07 AM
  • 3. – 3 – Center for International Private EnterpriseEconomic Inclusion: Leveraging Markets and Entrepreneurship to Extend Opportunity – 3 – There are diverse approaches to building inclusion, each catering to different groups and their respective roles in the economy. In general, though, the overall objective of inclusion comprises several distinct goals: • Broad-based job creation is the means by which most people and households create value and pursue economic opportunity. The quality and productivity of jobs are key factors. • Expanding entrepreneurship creates opportunities for business founders and new jobs for others. The viability of new firms and their growth prospects are key factors. • Access to markets, finance, and information secures the resources needed to manage firms and households. Both market institutions and intermediaries are key factors. • Marketing goods and services to the “bottom of the pyramid” allows the consumption needs of the full spectrum of the population to be met. Effective solutions to these challenges have two common threads. First, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders (including marginalized or under- represented groups) are directly involved in the solutions – taking action in the shaping of the economy or articulating their perspectives in decision- making. Second, institutional reforms provide a sound foundation for large-scale change by providing incentives and opportunities for individuals to create value. Leveraging Markets to Promote Inclusion CIPE’s strategy for inclusion is founded on promoting private sector-led growth. In most countries, the private sector is the driving force behind economic growth and job creation. In an open market economy, private firms drive gains in innovation and productivity and provide opportunities along the entire value chain. By contrast, public hiring programs for economic empowerment have diminishing returns. These can create privileged groups and rent seeking, and eventually crowd out the private sector. Market-oriented approaches in the quest for inclusiveness have the necessary ingredients for achieving sustainability and scale. Market solutions are responsive to demand, and generate resources that can be reinvested in firms and job creation. Programs for realizing economic inclusion should therefore be linked to markets and not dependent on government or donor services. Programs that address individuals’ interests (such as microfinance or career skills development) have a significant role to play in preparing them to participate in competitive markets and the mainstream economy. To leverage that impact, these programs should be linked with reforms to the institutional framework, including property rights, bankruptcy laws, economic informality, and the rule of law. Otherwise, services to individuals usually fail to generate sustained growth and improvements in firms and households. Attention to the economic empowerment of women, youth, and other marginalized groups is essential. Integrating these groups effectively in the economy has positive effects on families and releases untapped potential. Due to traditional barriers, investments in the human capital, capacity, and networks of these groups is typically required. Setting Goals for Inclusion through Entrepreneurship Talent and hidden assets can be found in many communities, including among underserved populations. In between the highest-growth startups and the subsistence enterprises of emerging economies, there is a broadening segment of small businesses and startups. Many of these firms and entrepreneurs have potential to generate growth and jobs for less privileged communities. Center for International Private Enterprise Key achievements included reducing the minimum capital requirement for businesses seeking limited liability status from 30,000 to 1,000 Jordanian dinars, as well as simplification of business licensing and registration requirements. FS_May 2015 Economic Inclusion Toolkit AF edits.indd 3 5/26/2015 10:17:07 AM
  • 4. Center for International Private Enterprise Economic Inclusion: Leveraging Markets and Entrepreneurship to Extend Opportunity – 4 – A strategy to tap this potential and promote inclusion must select its goals from among multiple – often related and, at times, competing – considerations. The first goal is to encourage more individuals of diverse backgrounds to become entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs themselves form the core of an entrepreneurial ecosystem.7 Where traditional employmentopportunitiesarescarce,entrepreneurship provides a route to avoid dependence on the social safety net and discover paths to advancement. Education has an important role to play here in shaping career aspirations, critical thinking, and attitudes toward problem solving and risk. Cultural change is also part of the process needed to encourage experimentation and learning instead of shunning failure, and to embrace entrepreneurs as creators of value in society. A second goal is to foster the growth of firms. Developing countries already have high rates of self- employment. What they need is not so much a greater quantity of micro-enterprises but higher-quality startups and growing firms that are more productive and suited for investment. Scaling up firms around viable business models creates jobs and stimulates further growth. This means orienting firms toward value creation: identifying unmet needs of customers and society, and ensuring profitability. The third goal is to implement institutional reforms that facilitate the realization of the first two goals. Improving the business climate is a priority for small and medium enterprises,8 which are disproportionately affected by administrative burdens and unpredictable environments.9 Small firms have limited resources for compliance and often contend with regulations written for the benefit of established interests. Barriers to business should be lowered to allow new entrants with more limited means. Systemic barriers to the growth of firms include weak property rights, complex and onerous tax regimes, widespread corruption and an unpredictable regulatory environment. These issues inhibit job creation, penalize profitability, and restrict opportunity to those with better access to resources and influence. The fourth goal is to bring entrepreneurs and businesses that have been isolated into the mainstream economy.Thisincludesformalizingbusinesses,opening access to markets and financial services, and extending public services.10 This is accomplished through legal reform, development of private networks, and public investments. A final goal is to promote local development of communities, nurturing healthy entrepreneurial ecosystems, and linking them to national and global economies. Cities tend to provide the best setting for theorganicdevelopmentofentrepreneurialecosystems. Nurturing the development of multiple cities and regions across a country promotes diversification and reduces disparities. A focus on local ecosystems enables community actors to come together and build synergies from the ground up. The role and ability of local authorities to promote entrepreneurship and integrate these activities in the national framework is vital to the success of national economic plans.11 How to Engage Under-represented Groups Historically many groups have been excluded from mainstream economic and political life. In part as a result of discriminatory practices at the local and national levels, women, youth, minorities, and informal sector operators are underrepresented in both employment and entrepreneurship activities. The best way to serve marginalized groups is to include them in the design of policies and programs for inclusion while at the same time building organizations and networks for outreach. Stakeholder engagement supports demand-driven policy formation and allows interested groups to own the change process. Thus, tools and channels to engage marginalized groups are essential. Before investing in capabilities or opportunities for particular groups, one should first assess the nature of their challenges in relation to their environment. No single policy or program can achieve inclusion without regard to the local situation. For instance, business skills training is effective only if profitable markets exist in which trainees can apply their skills. Reforms to the business environment must account FS_May 2015 Economic Inclusion Toolkit AF edits.indd 4 5/26/2015 10:17:07 AM
  • 5. – 5 – Center for International Private EnterpriseEconomic Inclusion: Leveraging Markets and Entrepreneurship to Extend Opportunity for customary practices that either inhibit or promote access to markets and services. Network analysis helps determine how groups are either connected or isolated from mainstream society and business. A distinctive combination of actors and methods is often needed to reach traditionally disadvantaged populations. Leadership can come from multiple sectors. For instance, business associations and business support organizations are important vehicles for representing, serving, and mobilizing economically excluded groups. Where associations do not represent groups effectively, other intermediaries may establish channels for outreach and mechanisms to overcome barriers. In either case, building leadership abilities in target populations is vital to gaining their insights and commitment to sustaining change. The right way to engage different populations varies greatly, so an outreach program should start small, validate the approach, and scale up. Engaging under-represented groups means bringing them into the entrepreneurial ecosystem as well as building up the ecosystem and lowering the barriers. In fact, core measures of the health of any entrepreneurial ecosystem include diversity and the ability to draw in new entrepreneurs.12 In order to achieve this, one should involve these groups in the policy process for reforming ecosystems and promoting inclusion. They will need advocacy skills, dialogue platforms, and alliances spanning different segments of society. Youth Entrepreneurship The drive to promote youth entrepreneurship is motivated by the pressing need to create jobs amid burgeoning young populations. Especially in places where public sector careers are the dominant choice for young graduates, entrepreneurial careers can spark private sector development and open new paths to opportunity. Youth entrepreneurship can be seen as an investment in the capabilities of future business leaders. Although most young entrepreneurs will not create permanent jobs for others, they do acquire valuable experience. Startup experience prepares youth for future ventures and allows them to bring entrepreneurial practices into other companies, large or small. This experience also cultivates leadership qualities. Raising human capital is essential to fostering inclusion. Educators must align skills taught in the classroom with the needs of employers and markets. Within educational systems, needed reforms include incorporating entrepreneurship content into curricula, expanding vocational education, and adopting methods of experiential education that promote active learning and judgment. On the employers’ side, chambers of commerce and business associations can coordinate private sector investment in youth entrepreneurial abilities and work force development. 13 Training programs should recognize that students and trainees often have economic experience; programs must account for these experiences and actual market opportunitiesesults for youth can be improved by observing good program practices. Any policy or program for youth should incorporate young people in the design phase. Leadership development allows youth to engage more effectively and gives their participation a broader reach when they extend their learning to others. Beginning entrepreneurs need guidance in navigating their ecosystem and will require a variety of supports and services—in addition to training and financing—to be successful. In particular, aspiring entrepreneurs should connect with and learn from more experienced entrepreneurs and should not be grouped only with peers of similar background and ability.14 Developing Entrepreneurial Talent and Leadership among Youth in Peru15 Since 2008, CIPE has worked with Instituto Invertir, a Peruvian non-profit organization with a mission to promote entrepreneurship and business development to foster economic inclusion among youth in rural Peru. Beyond just teaching youth about democracy and the benefits of a free-market economy, Invertir provides young people with the necessary tools to become entrepreneurs and create opportunities not only for themselves, but also for their communities. EmprendeAhora was designed as a leadership and entrepreneurship training program to give university students from rural Peru the necessary tools and FS_May 2015 Economic Inclusion Toolkit AF edits.indd 5 5/26/2015 10:17:07 AM
  • 6. Center for International Private Enterprise Economic Inclusion: Leveraging Markets and Entrepreneurship to Extend Opportunity – 6 – Women’s Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship empowers women economically and creates new sources of growth. In turn, women’s empowerment has transformative effects outside the economy, as women support their families, take leadership roles in communities, and become advocates for social change. To empower women, countries must address institutional barriers and cultural norms. In most developing nations, women entrepreneurs face barriers in addition to those that men face. A lack of property rights, for instance, can prevent women from investing in businesses or obtaining finance. Often, discrimination is reflected in practice more than in the law due to gender-specific implementation gaps.17 Customary practices can be at odds with formal property and land rights, with a strong effect on women’s productivity.18 Women are also disproportionately affected by economic informality. Economic opportunity for women begins with equal treatment in the workplace, a safe work environment, and provisions for child care and maternity leave.19 The next challenge is to ensure that young women make the transition from education to the workforce and business. This large gap facing youth affects young women disproportionately.20 Women- owned businesses already contribute significantly to the global economy and there is no shortage of empowerment to open businesses, generate income, and create local employment. While these types of programs are reasonably prevalent in Lima, nationwide programs directed towards youth from outside the capital area are fairly uncommon. After six years of implementation, EmprendeAhora has empowered nearly 780 young Peruvians who have acquired business and leadership skills that will allow them to become change agents in their regions. Roughly ten percent of program graduates are already implementing their own businesses, and that percentage is expected to double based on the number of students who are in the process of starting a business. Furthermore, alumni volunteer, work with non-governmental organizations on social issues, and incorporate social projects into their line of business. Improving the Environment for Youth Entrepreneurship in Nepal16 In partnership with the CIPE Samriddhi, The Prosperity Foundation, has focused on expanding youth’s access to economic opportunities in Nepal primarilythroughthepromotionofentrepreneurship, economic policy reform, and improvement of the business environment. Samriddhi’s Arthalaya School of Economics and Entrepreneurship program has educated and trained four hundred university students on topics such as markets and policies and offered participants an opportunity to gain practical entrepreneurial skills. The program incorporates classroom training and practical hands-on exercises to equip young people with the business skills necessary to start their own ventures. The classroom component of the program consists of five day workshops that promote the spirit and skills of entrepreneurship and familiarize young people with concepts related to rule of law, the business environment, incentive systems and human resource management, policy watch on government and markets, how markets function, the role of government, and leadership skills necessary to set up a business. The classroom experience is supplemented with an active alumni network, university entrepreneurship clubs, and mock business competitions. More than two dozen students have started their own ventures and have become entrepreneurs and many are involved in promoting entrepreneurship in their schools and communities through activities such as writing blogs and articles and opening entrepreneurshipclubs in their colleges. More than 20 such entrepreneurship clubs have been brought into existence by Arthalaya graduates who organize activities to inspire their friends to become entrepreneurs and to promote networking and capacity building. The success of the entrepreneurship program is evident in that Samriddhi has attained long-term financial sustainability through domestic sources of funding. FS_May 2015 Economic Inclusion Toolkit AF edits.indd 6 5/26/2015 10:17:07 AM
  • 7. – 7 – Center for International Private EnterpriseEconomic Inclusion: Leveraging Markets and Entrepreneurship to Extend Opportunity talent among female entrepreneurs. What is necessary is to encourage women to set their entrepreneurial ambitions higher.21 Developing networks for women entrepreneurs22 and extending access to mentors, markets, and opportunities23 may be the most powerful way to empower women economically. Networks are two- way undertakings, however, so in addition to helping women learn one must give women active voice and leadership roles. For all these goals, gender-specific programs are required. At the same time, care should be taken not to isolate women and to adopt a gender lens across all programming. Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in Bangladesh24 In Bangladesh, CIPE partnered with the Bangladesh Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BWCCI) to expand economic opportunities for women and facilitate their involvement in the policymaking process. BWCCI developed a robust advocacy strategy and a Women’s National Business Agenda with thirty recommendations to improve the policy environment for women entrepreneurs. The advocacy produced a number of reforms. The Central Bank issued instructions to commercial banks to increase lending to women-owned businesses, including collateral-free loans at a reduced interest rate. As a result of these efforts, $93 million in SME loans has been provided to almost 10,000 women, helping create tens of thousands of new jobs. Overall, the proportion of women entrepreneurs in the country receiving commercial bank loans has increased from 19 percent in 2007 to over 50 percent today. More than 65 percent of the country’s banks now have dedicated desks for women borrowers, staffed with specially-trained personnel who can cater to the specific needs of women entrepreneurs. BWCCI also helped improve business processes for women such as introducing favorable tax regimes for women entrepreneurs, and reducing harassment and corruption by streamlining procedures for business registration and renewal. Finally, three BWCCI board members have been nominated by the government to the boards of state-run banks, where they can bring further iattention to the needs of women borrowers. Women’s Entrepreneurship in Pakistan25 In Pakistan, women comprise 52 percent of the population and yet only three percent are engaged in economic activities in the formal sector, according to the Federal Bureau of Statistics. While the reasons for this discrepancy are complex, one aspect was the previous absence of women’s business networks and chambers of commerce. Until an amendment in 2006, the 1961 Trade Organizations Ordinance – which governed the formation and operation of chambers of commerce and business associations in Pakistan – did not allow women to form chambers of commerce. Because of this, there was no legal way for women entrepreneurs to form their own chambers that would be uniquely suited and responsive to their needs. CIPE’s Pakistan office worked with the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and the Ministry of Commerce to reform the law. In April 2006, the Ministry of Commerce created a six-member committee to review the 1961 Trade Organizations Ordinance and recommended changes through a consultative process. Based on the input of 150 representatives from various chambers and sectoral associations, the committee drafted legislation, which eventually became the new Ordinance. This law enhanced freedom of association and created new self-governance mechanisms for chambers and associations. Crucially for women entrepreneurs, the 2006 Trade Organizations Ordinance also compelled all regional chambers to induct at least two women members onto city chamber boards and allowed for the creation of women’s chambers of commerce. There are now 60 female board members in regional chambers and eight women’s chambers have been registered, with an approximate membership of over 2,000 women entrepreneurs and business owners. The revised law gave women entrepreneurs a voice in the economy and policymaking. CIPE’s capacity building programs, workshops, and consultative sessions have helped board members develop the skills and tools needed to ensure sustainability, increase membership, and effectively advocate for policy reforms. Women’s chambers and business FS_May 2015 Economic Inclusion Toolkit AF edits.indd 7 5/26/2015 10:17:07 AM
  • 8. Center for International Private Enterprise Economic Inclusion: Leveraging Markets and Entrepreneurship to Extend Opportunity – 8 – Informal Economy The informal sector, present in all countries, represents a third or more of employment in developing and transitional economies.26 Informal businesses produce legitimate goods and services without maintaining legal status or complying with all laws on the books. Firms and workers may remain informal as a result of exclusion – high barriers to entry – or disincentives to operate in the formal sector – including burdensome tax regimes and deficient public services. Policies that shift business into the formal economy may improve the performance of firms, provide protection to workers, increase public revenue, and increase confidence in public institutions.27 Expanding access to opportunity for informal entrepreneurs can create jobs and improve the business environment. Bringing entrepreneurs into the formal economy opens access to wider markets and also helps develop underserved markets. It is important to recognize different situations and incentives within the informal sector. While subsistence enterprises are symptomatic of scarcity in the labor market, a number of unofficial enterprises have the potential to be competitive in the formal economy.28 Reform initiatives should begin by identifying the obstacles to formality and the sources of high business costs. These may include business registration and licensing requirements, tax procedures, labor regulations, or the absence of property rights or bankruptcy protection. Note that the implementation of regulations and their effect on firms varies a lot by size of firm, location, and the quality of public governance. Besides simplifying business procedures, authorities should encourage participatory rulemaking in which smaller firms can communicate how they are impacted by the regulations. Hand in hand with reductions in the costs of formality, the benefits of formal status must be established – access to markets, services, and finance – to encourage firms to become and stay formal. associations are an effective platform for empowering women and increase participation in economic policy. Chambers and business associations play a key role in helping entrepreneurs and those that are considering entrepreneurship undertake successful business ventures, engage in policy advocacy, and provide mentorship and networking opportunities for women. Addressing Informality in Senegal29 Senegal has high rates of unemployment and corruption as well as one of the largest informal sectors in Sub-Saharan Africa. In 2011, CIPE partnered with UNACOIS, the country’s largest and most representative and well-organized business association, to empower small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to engage in public-private dialogue and to better serve the needs of UNACOIS members. UNACOIS has 70,000 members, the overwhelming majority of whom are small and medium businesses operating in the informal sector.  UNACOIS determined that high tax rates and the complex tax code was one of the major issues facing businesses in Senegal as well as one of the main causes of informality in the SME sector. UNACOIS developed an evidence-based policy paper with recommendations on tax reforms for the SME sector based on a comprehensive consultative process with members. Senegal’s parliament passed legislation to reform the Senegal Tax Code, which included all UNACOIS’s recommendations. This resulted in a more streamlined tax code for SMEs with tax rates that are more proportional to their profit margins. Importantly, a more uniform and proportional tax code for the SME sector will help formalize Senegal’s informal sector, which in turn will expand the government’s tax base and promote accountability and transparency. As a direct result of the new tax regulations, informal sector operators have reported a decreasing number of disputes with local authorities. Prior to the legislative changes, one of UNACOIS’ main services to members was to intervene in court on behalf of informal sector members whose businesses were shut down or goods confiscated by the police due to their informal status and not paying any taxes. On average, UNACOIS’s national headquarters intervened in over 200 cases per year. Within one year of the new Code taking effect, UNACOIS has been involved in only two FS_May 2015 Economic Inclusion Toolkit AF edits.indd 8 5/26/2015 10:17:07 AM
  • 9. – 9 – Center for International Private EnterpriseEconomic Inclusion: Leveraging Markets and Entrepreneurship to Extend Opportunity Conclusion The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) call for ending poverty, addressing global inequalities and “leaving no one behind” by “supporting vulnerable groups, achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls”.30 The post-2015 development agenda also calls attention to “fostering sustainable economic transformation” by “building resilient and dynamic economies and supporting youth employment”.31 Private sector-led development can help fulfil the agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals by encouraging economic inclusion in the form of employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for traditionally under-served members of society. This paper has outlined strategies for promoting economic inclusion with a focus on women, youth and informal sector entrepreneurs. Effective approaches to the challenges of inclusion involve entrepreneurs and other stakeholders (including marginalized or under- represented groups) in the solutions. They combine individual empowerment and market-based reforms to create diverse, expanding entrepreneurial ecosystems. This integration of social groups and the opportunities that result form the basis of democracy that delivers. Endnotes 1 John D. Sullivan Introductory Remarks, Daniel Cordova Visit at NED 2 EBRD “Economic Inclusion in Transition” http://www. ebrd.com/downloads/research/transition/tr13e.pdf, p. 79 3 Elena Ianchovichina and Susanna Lundstrom, “What is Inclusive Growth.” World Bank. February 10, 200 9 http://siteresources.worldbank. org/INTDEBTDEPT/Resources/468980-1218567884549/ WhatIsInclusiveGrowth20081230.pdf 4 Europe 2020: A European strategy for smart, sustainable, and inclusive growth”, European Commission, March 3, 2010, http://ec.europa.eu/eu2020/pdf/COMPLET%20 EN%20BARROSO%20%20%20007%20-%20Europe%20 2020%20-%20EN%20version.pdf 5 EBRD “Economic Inclusion in Transition” http://www. ebrd.com/downloads/research/transition/tr13e.pdf, p. 79 6 Ngozika Amalu, “A Voice for Young Entrepreneurs,” Strategies for Policy Reform, Vol. 2, CIPE 7 Dane Strangler and Jordan Bell-Masterson “Measuring an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem”, Kauffman Foundation March 2015. http://www.kauffman.org/~/media/kauffman_org/ research%20reports%20and%20covers/2015/03/measuring_ an_entrepreneurial_ecosystem.pdf 8 European Commission Communication to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions “A Stronger Role of the Private Sector in Achieving Inclusive and Sustainable Growth in Developing Countries.” May 13, 2014 9 OECD “Promoting Entrepreneurship and Innovative SMEs in a Global Economy” Second OECD Conference of Ministers Responsible for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, June 2004 10 European Commission Communication to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. “A Stronger Role of the Private Sector in Achieving Inclusive and Sustainable Growth in Developing Countries.” May 13, 2014. 11 OECD “Promoting Entrepreneurship and Innovative SMEs in a Global Economy” Second OECD Conference of Ministers Responsible for Small and Medium- Sized Enterprises, June 2004, http://www.oecd.org/cfe/ smes/31919590.pdf 12 Dane Strangler and Jordan Bell-Masterson. “Measuring an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem,” Kauffman Foundation. March 2015. http://www.kauffman.org/~/media/kauffman_ org/research%20reports%20and%20covers/2015/03/ measuring_an_entrepreneurial_ecosystem.pdf 13 CIPE Guide to Youth Entrepreneurship Programs for Chambers of Commerce and Business Associations, 2013. 14 David James-Wilson, Youth Livelihoods Development Program Guide, USAID EQUIP3, June 2008. pp. vi-vii. 15 Brent Ruth “Developing Entrepreneurial Talent and Leadership Among Youth in Peru”, Strategies for Policy Reform, vol. 3, CIPE 16 Sarita Sapkota and Teodora Mihaylova “Improving the Environment for Entrepreneurship in Nepal”, Strategies for Policy Reform, vol. 3, CIPE such cases. Now that these informal members have an avenue for complying with local business regulations, such as payment of taxes, they are able to operate more freely and without fear of interference by local authorities. FS_May 2015 Economic Inclusion Toolkit AF edits.indd 9 5/26/2015 10:17:07 AM
  • 10. Center for International Private Enterprise Economic Inclusion: Leveraging Markets and Entrepreneurship to Extend Opportunity – 10 – 17 Carmen Niethammer, “Women, Entrepreneurship, and the Opportunity to Promote Development and Business,” Brookings Blum Roundtable Policy Brief, 2013, p. 37. 18 Marya Buvinić, Rebecca Furst-Nichols, and Emily Courey Pryor, “A Roadmap for Promoting Women’s Economic Empowerment,” United Nations Foundation and ExxonMobil, 2013, p. 39. 19 OECD “Promoting Entrepreneurship and Innovative SMEs in a Global Economy” Second OECD Conference of Ministers Responsible for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, June 2004, p. 17 20 Buvinić et al., p. 47. 21 Lesa Mitchell, “Overcoming the Gender Gap: Women Entrepreneurs as Economic Drivers,” Kauffman Foundation, September 2011. 22 OECD “Promoting Entrepreneurship and Innovative SMEs in a Global Economy” Second OECD Conference of Ministers Responsible for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, June 2004, p. 17 23 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2010 Women’s Report cited in Buvinić et al., p. 65. 24 Marc Schleifer and Maiko Nakagaki “Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in Bangladesh”, Strategies for Policy Reform, vol. 3, CIPE 25 Anna Nadgrodkiewicz, “Empowering Women Entrepreneurs: The Impact of the 2006 Trade Organizations Ordinance in Pakistan” April 29, 2011. CIPE 26 Workers in the Informal Economy, World Bank, http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/ EXTSOCIALPROTECTION/EXTLM/0,,contentMDK:202 24904~menuPK:584866~pagePK:148956~piPK:216618~th eSitePK:390615,00.html 27 Koos van Elk and Jan de Kok, Enterprise Formalization: Fact or Fiction? GIZ, May 2014, pp. 4-5. 28 Ishengoma, E. and R. Kappel (2006), “Formalization of informalenterprises:economicgrowthandpoverty”,Eschborn: Economic Reform and Private Sector Development Section, GTZ; cited in ILO and GIZ, “Enterprise Formalization: Fact or Fiction? A Quest for Case Studies” (GIZ, 2014), available at http://www.ilo.org/empent/units/boosting-employment- through-small-enterprise-development/WCMS_245359/ lang--en/index.htm 29 Teodora Mihaylova and Erica Poff “Formalizing Public- Private Dialogue with the Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Sector in Senegal”, Strategies for Policy Reform vol. 3, CIPE 30 United Nations Summit to adopt the post-2015 development agenda, https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org /?page=view&nr=1064&type=13&menu=1300 31 United Nations Summit to adopt the post-2015 development agenda, https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org /?page=view&nr=1064&type=13&menu=1300 ____________________________________________________ Kim Eric Bettcher, PhD leads the Center for International Private Enterprise’s knowledge management initiative, which captures lessons learned in democratic and economic institution-building around the world. The initiative shares strategies, best practices, and lessons with an international network of reform leaders. Bettcher has written and edited numerous resources for CIPE, especially toolkits on public-private dialogue and anti-corruption, a report on Creating the Environment for Entrepreneurial Success, three case study collections, the CIPE Guide to Governance Reform, and CIPE’s 25-Year Impact Evaluation. Bettcher has published articles in the Harvard Business Review, Party Politics, SAIS Review, and the Business History Review. He has taught as an adjunct professor at George Mason University’s School of Public Policy and was previously a research associate at Harvard Business School. Bettcher holds a PhD in political science from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Harvard College. Teodora Mihaylova is the Research Coordinator for the Knowledge Management team at the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE). Mihaylova is involved with research, and writing of case studies, toolkits, and papers synthesizing best practices and lessons learned from CIPE programs around the world on democratization and transition to market economies. She works with staff and partners to facilitate information sharing and adoption of knowledge management practices across the organization. She leads staff development initiatives and manages the capturing and dissemination of organizational knowledge. Mihaylova has a master’s degree in European Studies from Georgetown’s School FS_May 2015 Economic Inclusion Toolkit AF edits.indd 10 5/26/2015 10:17:07 AM
  • 11. – 11 – Center for International Private EnterpriseEconomic Inclusion: Leveraging Markets and Entrepreneurship to Extend Opportunity of Foreign Service and bachelor’s degree in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia. The views expressed by the author(s) are his/her own and do not necessarily represent the views of the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE). CIPE grants permission to reprint, translate, and/ or publish original articles from its Economic Reform Feature Service provided that (1) proper attribution is given to the original author and to CIPE and (2) CIPE is notified where the article is placed and a copy is provided to CIPE’s Washington office. The Economic Reform Feature Service is CIPE’s online and electronic distribution service. It provides in-depth articles designed for a network of policymakers, business leaders, civic reformers, scholars, and others interested in the issues relating to economic reform and its connection to democratic development. CIPE welcomes articles submitted by readers. Most articles run between 3-7 pages (1,000- 3,000 words). All submissions relevant to CIPE’s mission will be considered based on merit. The Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) strengthens democracy around the globe through private enterprise and market-oriented reform. CIPE is one of the four core institutes of the National Endowment for Democracy and an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Since 1983, CIPE has worked with business leaders, policymakers, and civil society to build the institutions vital to a democratic society. CIPE’s key program areas include anti-corruption and ethics, enterprise ecosystems, business advocacy, and democratic governance. FS_May 2015 Economic Inclusion Toolkit AF edits.indd 11 5/26/2015 10:17:07 AM