World Bank2013-12-272013-12-272013-05https://hdl.handle.net/10986/16445The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is at one of the most critical turning points in its modern history. The Arab spring was driven by the desire for economic opportunity and justice in the face of poverty and unemployment. The development of strong economies that enable both women and men to enhance their livelihoods is crucial for the future of the region. The growth and success of women-owned businesses is one of the most profound changes in the business world today. There is no doubt that women are an emerging market force. However, many businesswomen are not accessing commercial credit, an essential driver of business success. Lack of access to finance and financial services is repeatedly identified as the major constraint for women business owners. This report 'ready for growth: solutions to increase access to finance for women-owned business in the Middle East and North Africa', is designed to shed a light on those barriers. It is the result of a unique International Finance Corporation (IFC) partnership with vital voices and the Middle East and North Africa Businesswomen's Network (MENA BWN). Its purpose is to fill a critical gap in our knowledge of what women-owned businesses need in terms of financial products and services. Building on our knowledge of how commercial banks currently reach the women's market, this survey data can provide banks in MENA with information to better serve women business owners.en-USCC BY-NC-ND 3.0 IGOACCESS TO CAPITALACCESS TO FINANCEACCESS TO FINANCIAL SERVICESACCESS TO FINANCINGACCESS TO INFORMATIONACCESS TO SERVICESACCESS TO TRAININGADVANCEMENT OF WOMENADVISORY SERVICESANGEL INVESTORSAPPROVAL PROCESSBALANCE SHEETSBANK ACCOUNTSBANK CREDITBANK LENDINGBANK LOANBANK LOANSBANKING ACCOUNTSBANKING RELATIONSHIPBANKING RELATIONSHIPSBARRIERS IN ACCESSBARRIERS TO GROWTHBARRIERS TO WOMENBORROWINGBUSINESS ACUMENBUSINESS ADVICEBUSINESS ASSOCIATIONSBUSINESS CREDITBUSINESS ENTERPRISESBUSINESS LOANBUSINESS LOANSBUSINESS MANAGEMENTBUSINESS NETWORKSBUSINESS OPPORTUNITIESBUSINESS OPPORTUNITYBUSINESS ORGANIZATIONBUSINESS ORGANIZATIONSBUSINESS PLANSBUSINESS SUCCESSBUSINESS SUPPORTBUSINESS WOMENBUSINESSWOMENCAPACITY BUILDINGCAPITAL INVESTMENTCAPITAL MARKETSCAPITAL REQUIREMENTCAPITAL REQUIREMENTSCHAMBERS OF COMMERCECHECKING ACCOUNTSCOLLATERAL REQUIREMENTSCOMMERCIAL BANKCOMMERCIAL BANKSCONSULTING SERVICESCREDIT BUREAUSCREDIT CARDSCREDIT FACILITIESCREDIT GUARANTEECREDIT HISTORIESCREDIT HISTORYCREDIT INFORMATIONCREDIT INFORMATION SYSTEMSCREDIT LINECREDIT LINESCREDITORSDEPOSITDEPOSIT ACCOUNTSDEPOSIT PRODUCTSDEPOSITORSDEVELOPMENT BANKDEVELOPMENT OF WOMANEARNINGSECONOMIC ACTIVITYECONOMIC CONTRIBUTIONECONOMIC CONTRIBUTIONSECONOMIC DECISIONECONOMIC DECISION-MAKINGECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTECONOMIC EMPOWERMENTECONOMIC GROWTHECONOMIC OPPORTUNITYECONOMIES OF SCALEEDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENTEMPLOYEEEMPLOYMENT GROWTHEMPOWERMENT OF WOMENENTERPRISE GROWTHENTREPRENEURENTREPRENEURIAL ENVIRONMENTENTREPRENEURIAL FINANCEENTREPRENEURIAL INITIATIVESENTREPRENEURIAL VENTURESEQUAL ACCESSEQUITY CAPITALEQUITY FINANCINGEQUITY INVESTORSEXTERNAL FINANCINGFAMILIESFINANCESFINANCIAL INFRASTRUCTUREFINANCIAL INSTITUTIONFINANCIAL INSTITUTIONSFINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIESFINANCIAL LITERACYFINANCIAL MARKETSFINANCIAL NEEDSFINANCIAL PRODUCTSFINANCIAL SERVICEFINANCIAL SERVICESFINANCIAL TOOLSFINANCIAL TRACK RECORDFINANCIAL TRAININGFINANCING NEEDSFINANCING NEEDS OF WOMENFLEXIBLE LOANFORMAL FINANCEFORMAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONFORMAL LENDINGGENDERGENDER BARRIERSGENDER DISCRIMINATIONGENDER GAPGREATER ACCESSGUARANTEE AGENCYGUARANTORHIGH INTEREST RATEHIGH INTEREST RATESHOUSEHOLD INCOMEHUSBANDHUSBANDSINFORMATION ABOUT BUSINESSINFORMATION TECHNOLOGYINSTALLMENTSINTERNATIONAL FINANCEJOB CREATIONLABOR FORCE PARTICIPATIONLABOR MARKETLACK OF ACCESSLACK OF COLLATERALLACK OF INFORMATIONLEGAL ADVICELENDERSLENDING CONDITIONSLENDING POLICIESLIMITED ACCESSLINE OF CREDITLOANLOAN AMOUNTSLOAN APPLICATIONSLOAN CONDITIONSLOAN GUARANTEELOAN GUARANTEESLOAN OFFICERLOAN OFFICERSLOAN PRODUCTSLOANS FROM FAMILYLOANS TO WOMENLONG TERM FINANCINGMARKET INFORMATIONMFIMFISMICRO-CREDITMICROCREDITMICROFINANCEMONEYLENDERMORTGAGEMORTGAGESMULTINATIONALNEEDS OF WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSNETWORKING OPPORTUNITIESNEW BUSINESSESNEW MARKETSNUTRITIONONLINE BANKINGOPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMENOPPORTUNITY FOR WOMENOUTREACHPARTIAL CREDITPERSONAL ASSETPERSONAL BANKINGPERSONAL CAPITALPERSONAL SAVINGSPROFESSIONAL NETWORKSPROFESSIONAL WOMENPROFITABILITYPROMOTION OF WOMENPROPERTY AS COLLATERALPROPERTY RIGHTSRED TAPEREGISTRATION PROCESSREGULATORY POLICYSHORT-TERM FINANCINGSMALL BUSINESSSMALL BUSINESS OWNERSMALL BUSINESSESSOCIAL NETWORKSSTART-UPSSUPPLY CHAINSUPPORT FOR WOMENTAX CODETECHNICAL ASSISTANCETRADE FINANCINGTRADITIONAL LOANSUNEMPLOYMENTUNIONWEALTH CREATIONWOMANWOMAN BUSINESS OWNERWOMEN BUSINESS OWNERSWOMEN ENTREPRENEURSWOMEN IN BUSINESSWorld Bank10.1596/16445