COVID-19, Women Entrepreneurs and the Untold Stories So Far

The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the desk-based professional world to a large extent. A significant portion of the desk-based professionals had to move to an in-house working environment due to the restrictions on mobility and face-to-face interactions in the past one and half years. Now, with the gradual re-opening of offices and other work-places, women employees are facing new challenges. Often seen juggling between their roles as primary caregivers in their respective families and as professionals in their offices/work fields, many women have left their corporate jobs and started freelancing and consulting. Some of them have become entrepreneurs with outfits of various scales. This chapter argues that entrepreneurship can be an alternative career opportunity for many women if they can attain the required skills and expertise in business and entrepreneurship. However, the field of business and entrepreneurship is not free of challenges for women. In this given context, the proposed chapter analyzes the emerging trend of entrepreneurship among women in South and Southeast Asia in the post COVID-19 time. There will be an attempt to understand the challenges and opportunities for women entrepreneurship in South and Southeast Asia. Based on secondary literature and some of the primary sources, this narrative will explore the scenario of women entrepreneurs in select Asian countries.