A research effort on approaches to providing more inclusive entrepreneur support, particularly to facilitate entrepreneurs’ access to finance
Inclusive entrepreneur support
We conducted a four-month research project to delve into the experiences of women entrepreneurs with disabilities in Cambodia accessing business support and finance. Conducted in collaboration with UNESCAP, this research was part of a broader research effort in the Asia-Pacific region to understand how to make entrepreneurship support more accessible and inclusive. In particular, the study focused on access to finance and infrastructural barriers that hinder the entrepreneurial pursuits of women entrepreneurs with disabilities.
Our Approach
Mixed-Methods Research
Using a mixed-method approach, we began with desk research to review existing literature on women’s entrepreneurship and people with disability in Cambodia. Through in-depth interviews with stakeholders, including women entrepreneurs with disabilities, Entrepreneurship Support Organizations (ESOs), disability activists, and loan providers, we captured deeper insights into the challenges and experiences in entrepreneurial and financial access.
Stakeholder Consultation
A local consultation phase engaged 20 key stakeholders to validate findings and integrate ecosystem feedback, which we integrated into a comprehensive report. This report highlights the principal barriers to business support and finance for women entrepreneurs with disabilities and outlines best practices for enhancing inclusivity in business support and financial access in Cambodia.
Synthesis and Sharing
Our findings from Cambodia also contributed to a best practice report for the Asia-Pacific region, which spotlighted parallel research efforts in Nepal, Bangladesh, as well as Cambodia and provided recommendations to advance the business support ecosystem toward greater gender and disability inclusion.
Our Partners
