ABSTRACT
The chapter highlights the current political, economic and social conditions in Karachi, Pakistan, and discusses the barriers to and opportunities for female entrepreneurship. For many years Karachi has been acting as a magnet for entrepreneurs across the region, and this chapter explains how immigrants settle in the city, what kinds of businesses they launch and what support they receive from their ethnic groups. It gives the details of identity-based politics and its impact on the power struggle in the city, which affects the business opportunities available to both women and men. Among the impediments to female entrepreneurship, the chapter discusses limited access to financing small and medium-size enterprises; cultural barriers that stem from the traditional view of women as homemakers who sacrifice their careers in favour of their family; violence and threats that business women might face; misogyny and harassment; and lack of support and training. The chapter concludes that conservative values and traditional view of a woman’s place in society act as a major block to female entrepreneurship in Karachi and the entire nation.
