Women entrepreneurship and family-related barriers: an empirical analysis in Southern Benin.

This study investigates the family-related and socio-cultural barriers shaping women's engagement in small and medium-sized enterprises in Cotonou and Abomey-Calavi, the main economic hubs of southern Benin. Despite numerous initiatives aimed at promoting women's economic empowerment, institutional support remains insufficient, while entrenched social norms continue to constrain women's entrepreneurial activities. Anchored in the discourse on Sustainable Development Goal 5, the study emphasizes how socio-cultural structures produce and sustain gender-based vulnerabilities. A qualitative research design was adopted, combining a literature review with semi-structured interviews conducted among 43 purposively selected participants, including women entrepreneurs, public and private stakeholders, and representatives of non-governmental organizations. The findings reveal persistent gendered divisions of labor that assign men to productive roles and women to domestic responsibilities, thereby limiting women's entrepreneurial autonomy. These constraints are further differentiated by age: younger women face restricted decision-making power within gerontocratic systems, while adult women encounter pressures linked to marital relations and household authority. Although financial and non-financial support mechanisms, such as microfinance, development programs, and capacity-building initiatives, offer opportunities, women's entrepreneurial trajectories remain significantly constrained. Nevertheless, women demonstrate adaptive strategies to navigate these barriers. However, the social reception of such strategies often reinforces gender stereotypes, particularly when women's economic success challenges established norms. Consequently, many women moderate their entrepreneurial ambitions to maintain social and familial acceptance. The study recommends stronger public policy commitment through the implementation of a comprehensive national gender policy and the integration of gender-sensitive education across all levels. Future research should further examine cultural norms that may serve as levers for women's empowerment in Benin.