Mentoring for Women's Entrepreneurship: A Review Through Intersectional and Decolonial Lens

TY - JOUR

T1 - Mentoring for Women's Entrepreneurship: A Review Through Intersectional and Decolonial Lens

AU - Silva Veiga, Heila Magali

AU - Perez Miziara, Olívia Pillar

AU - Batista Melo, Kamila

AU - Mendes Borges, Aleida

AU - Oliveira-Silva Review, Ligia Carolina

PY - 2025/4/16

Y1 - 2025/4/16

N2 - The rise in women's entrepreneurship globally underscores the need for mentoring programs that cater specifically to women entrepreneurs. Despite the critical role these programs play, current models often fail to consider the unique sociocultural and economic contexts faced by women in the Majority World. This scoping review aims to map existing mentoring programs addressing women in entrepreneurship, with a focus on their design and implementation in emerging economies. Our review evidences that traditional mentorship models, often rooted in Western paradigms, do not adequately address the diverse challenges of women entrepreneurs, including limited access to resources, sociopolitical instability, and sociocultural constraints. Noteworthy programs, such as "Ecosistema Mujer" and "Peer Mentorship Program for Entrepreneurs," highlight the importance of gender-sensitive approaches that empower women by addressing both internal and external barriers. By integrating intersectional and decolonial perspectives, mentorship programs can better support women entrepreneurs, helping them transition from subsistence-based businesses to sustainable enterprises. This review calls for a rethinking of entrepreneurship mentoring and support policies to foster more inclusive and effective practices, ultimately promoting long- term economic development and gender equality. Key words: female entrepreneurship, mentoring programs, scoping review, gender equality, intersectionality

AB - The rise in women's entrepreneurship globally underscores the need for mentoring programs that cater specifically to women entrepreneurs. Despite the critical role these programs play, current models often fail to consider the unique sociocultural and economic contexts faced by women in the Majority World. This scoping review aims to map existing mentoring programs addressing women in entrepreneurship, with a focus on their design and implementation in emerging economies. Our review evidences that traditional mentorship models, often rooted in Western paradigms, do not adequately address the diverse challenges of women entrepreneurs, including limited access to resources, sociopolitical instability, and sociocultural constraints. Noteworthy programs, such as "Ecosistema Mujer" and "Peer Mentorship Program for Entrepreneurs," highlight the importance of gender-sensitive approaches that empower women by addressing both internal and external barriers. By integrating intersectional and decolonial perspectives, mentorship programs can better support women entrepreneurs, helping them transition from subsistence-based businesses to sustainable enterprises. This review calls for a rethinking of entrepreneurship mentoring and support policies to foster more inclusive and effective practices, ultimately promoting long- term economic development and gender equality. Key words: female entrepreneurship, mentoring programs, scoping review, gender equality, intersectionality

KW - female entrepreneurship, mentoring programs, scoping review, gender equality, intersectionality

M3 - Article

SN - 0959-3535

JO - Feminism & Psychology: an international journal

JF - Feminism & Psychology: an international journal

ER -