The rise of women entrepreneurs is no longer a quiet undercurrent—it is a visible, transformative force, redefining traditional boundaries. Recent data and ongoing discussions reveal that Nepali women are not just entering the workforce in greater numbers, but also reshaping businesses, influencing policy, and challenging long-held societal norms.

According to the National Economic Census 2018, women manage 29.61% of industrial establishments across the country. Meanwhile, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) reports that women account for 45% of employees in Nepal's financial services sector—an encouraging sign of growing gender representation in one of the country’s key economic pillars. The Economic Survey 2023/24 adds another layer of promise: the number of women entrepreneurs is rising steadily, and one in three women now owns property, signaling improved access to capital and legal rights.

Read: Fifth NewBiz Business Women Summit & Awards: Honoring Her Enterprise

These statistics point to more than just incremental progress—they reflect a broader cultural and economic shift. Women are launching startups, leading teams, stepping into boardrooms and reshaping Nepal’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. But behind this momentum lie persistent challenges—and a collective realization that progress alone is not enough.

This theme took center stage in a panel discussion titled “Redefining Women’s Role in Business”, held at the 5th NewBiz Business Women Summit and Awards 2025, organized by New Business Age Ltd in Kathmandu on May 7. The panel brought together leading voices from business, government and technology to reflect on women’s achievements and identify barriers that remain.

A Pathway Through Policy and Participation

Participating in the discussion, Dr Prakash Kumar Shrestha, member of the National Planning Commission (NPC), acknowledged the strides made so far while emphasizing the work ahead. “As societal values shift, opportunities for women have widened,” he said. “Government policy now prioritizes women in entrepreneurship, but entering the formal economy still requires stronger capacity-building, inclusive workplace policies and better financial access.”

Dr Shrestha also highlighted the importance of education and skills development. “While access to education has improved, a third of women in Nepal are illiterate. Many are also still unaware of budget allocations and policy provisions designed for them. Targeted training and mentorship are essential to close this gap,” he said.

He also called for a broader economic inclusion of women’s roles in the care economy. “Women’s contributions to caregiving must be integrated into the formal economy. Without this, sustainable development remains out of reach,” Dr Shrestha added.

Balancing Acts and Daily Battles

For many women, entrepreneurship does not begin in a boardroom or business incubator—it begins at home, often in the midst of multiple, overlapping responsibilities. Prasanna Basnet, co-founder of Cotton Mill Nepal, shared her experience of navigating business and domestic life.

“From raising children to managing household expectations, women juggle everything,” she said. “I dedicate seven hours a day to work, and the rest to my home. But not being able to do more, professionally, is a reality many men don’t fully understand.”

Basnet added that entrepreneurship must be more than profit-driven; it must be rooted in ethics, innovation and community impact. “Launching a brand isn’t enough. A brand is a promise—to your customer and your values. That means training women near factories, prioritizing the environment and involving the local community.”

Creating Women-Friendly Workplaces

Breaking into traditionally male-dominated fields like tech and engineering remains a major challenge for women in Nepal. Astha Sharma, Managing Director of software firm Code Rush, shared her early professional experiences to illustrate the deep-rooted issues. “At one office, I was asked to make tea. At another, there were no restrooms for women, which was incredibly difficult during menstruation. These are not isolated incidents—they reflect systemic attitudes,” she said.

In response, Sharma and her team have launched women-focused mentorship programs aimed at equipping young professionals with the guidance and confidence they need to succeed. “Mentorship is critical,” she said. “If women don’t know where to go or what to do, learning from someone else’s experience can be life-changing.”

Sharma also stressed the need to showcase opportunities in tech and build platforms specifically designed for aspiring female technologists.

Building the Ecosystem

Engineer Mahesh Mahato, founder of Cosmic Electrical Ltd, and moderator of the panel, said entrepreneurship should go beyond personal profit. “True entrepreneurship involves leadership, ownership and a responsibility to the community,” he said. “We need to ask how women’s contributions to the formal economy can be better recognized and supported.”

Mahato underscored the urgency of creating women-friendly workplaces, particularly in tech, and called for targeted efforts to address gender bias in organizational culture. “If we want inclusion to be real, not just symbolic, we must start by changing how women are treated at work,” he added.

Institutional Support and the Road Ahead

Panelists also called for stronger institutional support for working mothers, including childcare centers in both public and private sector workplaces. A key concern was the inconsistent implementation of women-focused budgetary allocations. Although all three levels of government have introduced gender-responsive policies, participants said funds are often disbursed at the last minute which limits its effectiveness.

The call to action was clear: Women are rising—but the systems around them must rise too. Beyond inclusion, the panel demanded investment: in skills, in support, in representation and in reshaping how society values women's labor across all spheres—in the home, in the workplace and the economy.

As Nepal moves forward, the message from this summit was loud and clear: Empowering women is no longer a side goal of economic development; it is the foundation of its future.

(This article was originally published in  June 2025 issue  of New Business Age Magazine.)