Le attività imprenditoriali delle donne in Mali

Abstract

Western african women have traditionally been quite autonomous in the pre-colonization period thanks to their trading businesses. More recently, the negative impact of structural adjustment programmes has further increased the number of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) run by women. This study draws on about a hundred interviewes to women entrepreneurs carried out in two medium-sized cities of Mali in the beginning of 2004. The female activities are spread in all economic sectors and are mainly carried out to provide the family with an additional income.
Married women support about one third of the family expenses and in particular their children’s education. Wives and husbands’ patterns of time use of are consistent with the evidence of many industrialized and developing countries. The entrepreneutrial activity appears to have an empowerment effect, especially when carried out within productive associations.