This field-based research study seeks to identify the barriers that micro, small and medium enterprises face in engaging in subregional trade and business in general with a focus on women entrepreneurs. Identified issues, such as access to information, markets, finance and trainings, and transportation and cumbersome custom procedures might be common to all micro, small and medium enterprises in the South Asia. The study, however, argues that if the integration of micro, small and medium enterprises into intraregional trade remains gender blind, the South Asian countries will miss out on a unique opportunity to boost growth, which, in turn, will make a significant contribution towards achieving sustainable development. Therefore, gender mainstreaming tools such as gender-responsive budgeting should be applied to all parts of economic and social sectors including trade facilitation and infrastructure projects to reflect the needs of women entrepreneurs and traders on all policies and programmes.

The study is useful for governments, UNDP country offices, international organizations, research institutions, civil society, development banks and other stakeholders involved in reviewing, designing and implementing gender-responsive trade and economic policies and programming.