For the first time, women lead the majority of urban businesses in Colombia, according to preliminary results of the National Urban Economic Census (CENU). Of nearly 1.2 million economic units surveyed, 613,000 are led by women (51.6%), compared to 576,000 led by men (48.4%). However, despite this milestone, a new analysis by the Analytical Unit of the Fundación WWB Colombia reveals that this leadership occurs under conditions of inequality. Women tend to run businesses with lower incomes, higher levels of informality, less access to financial systems, and a disproportionate burden of unpaid care work, which limits their growth and economic autonomy. The study highlights that 75.3% of women-owned microbusinesses operate in commerce and services, sectors with low capital, low profit margins, and high informality. The median monthly income for businesses led by women is 450,000 pesos, significantly lower than the 820,000 pesos earned by those led by men, even within the same economic sectors.
Bias read (Center): The article presents statistical data and analysis from the Fundación WWB Colombia regarding gender disparities in entrepreneurship in Colombia. It does not exhibit overtly biased language, one-sided sourcing, or editorializing. Instead, it provides balanced information highlighting both progress (w
