According to the United Nations, the world population reached 7.6 billion in 2017. About half, or 49.55 percent, were female (United Nations, Department of Social and Economic Affairs, 2017). The fact that the gender demographics on the planet are balanced, compounded by the recent announcement that most countries have achieved gender parity in primary education (UNICEF, 2018) should be cause for optimism. However, these numbers are quickly obscured by the realization that disparities still remain at the other education grades, which disproportionately favor males.

President James Madison once stated that “education is the foundation of civil liberties.” Therefore, this gender unbalanced state of affairs might also escalate to the structure of several other institutions, including public and private sector activities, and the distribution of entrepreneurial opportunities.In this brief report, we review selected gender indicators across countries, and then compare them with entrepreneurial indicators in an attempt to understand the distribution of business opportunities across economies. After reviewing the general numbers, we focus on key challenges and practical recommendations for action (Read more…).