The United Nations has defined the inclusion of gender equality as a sustainable development priority to improve the global economy. Moreover, the European Comission adopted its Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025, setting a framework on how to advance gender identity, race and disability equity. Following that trend, in Spain entrepreneurship is becoming a better professional option for women.
In the last ten years, the gender gap has narrowed by 36%. Recently, the Global Enterpreneurship Monitor (GEM) World Report showed that Spain is one of the top countries in Europe in terms of gender parity, with 9 women for every 10 men entrepreneurs, a figure much higher than the European average (6 out of 10). The projects of women entrepreneurs include the education sector, health, education, innovation and technology, agriculture and the social sectors.
Currently, there are and continue to appear new initiatives, both public and private, to promote women and encourage the creation of businesses led by women. For example, the Spanish Chamber of Commerce offers the Women’s Business Support Program (PAEM) for the promotion and support of women’s business activity; the National Association of Women Entrepreneurs and Self-Employed Women (ANMEYA) aims to inform, train and represent these women entrepreneurs to promote the full professional integration of self-employed and entrepreneurial women; and the Madrid City Council carries out the Entrepreneurs Award, to contribute to the recognition of original, creative and innovative projects undertaken by women to promote and encourage female entrepreneurship.
