Entrepreneurial activity among men and women is most equal in sub-Saharan Africa, according to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2012 Global Report released this month. The report also identified the region as one of the most fertile when it comes to entrepreneurial activity.
According to the report, Zambia posted the highest rate for total entrepreneurial activity at 27%. The stat measures the percentage of adults between the ages of 18 and 64 who are new or developing entrepreneurs.
Women entrepreneurs were less common in the Middle East and North Africa, where researchers reported that men were 2.8 times more likely to start their own businesses than women. Women accounted for only 5% of Pakistani entrepreneurs, and fewer than one-fifth of entrepreneurs in Egypt, Korea and Palestine.
However, the report also revealed that Ecuador, Ghana, Nigeria, Panama and Thailand were fruitful regions for female entrepreneurs. The countries all reported that the total entrepreneurial activity rate for women was higher than for men.
Based on the stats for female entrepreneurs across the globe, the report recommended that policymakers consider plans that could help spark attitude changes regarding women and programs that would train and support female entrepreneurs in their endeavors, indicating that the results reveal there is improvement to be made in this area.
The GEM 2012 Global Report includes surveys from more than 80 economies worldwide. It is the largest study of entrepreneurial activity in the world.