Invisible Enterprises: The Unrecognized Contribution of Home-Based Women Entrepreneurs in Nepal

Shradha Adhikari () and Krishna Khanal ()
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Shradha Adhikari: Kathmandu University School of Management
Krishna Khanal: King’s College

A chapter in Business and Management in Asia: Opportunities and Entrepreneurship, 2026, pp 153-166 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract This chapter explores the largely unrecognized yet vital role of home-based women entrepreneurs in Nepal’s informal economy. Across kitchens, courtyards, and increasingly digital platforms, millions of Nepali women operate micro-enterprises that sustain household livelihoods, preserve traditional skills, and strengthen community resilience. Yet, these “invisible enterprises” are often absent from official statistics and excluded from financial systems and policy agendas due to intersecting structural, cultural, and institutional barriers. In response, the chapter introduces a context-sensitive empowerment framework, known as the “SEE” model—Support (financial and regulatory inclusion), Equip (skills and technology access), and Elevate (market linkages and public visibility). This model is anchored in local practice and scalable through multi-stakeholder engagement involving banks, NGOs, retailers, and government agencies. Ultimately, recognizing and investing in these invisible enterprises is not only a matter of gender equity. It is a strategic lever for inclusive and sustainable economic transformation in Nepal and South Asia.

Keywords: Home-based entrepreneurship; Women entrepreneurs; Informal economy; Gender and development; SEE model; Digital and financial inclusion; Socio-spatial entrepreneurship (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-981-95-4909-2_9

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DOI: 10.1007/978-981-95-4909-2_9

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