SEHER Program

What is the SEHER Program?

• The SEHER Program is a collaborative initiative between the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) and TransUnion CIBIL aimed at empowering women entrepreneurs in India.
• The program focuses on increasing awareness about finance and credit access and management among women entrepreneurs.
• Launch Date: The SEHER Program launched on July 5, 2024.

Key Objectives

• Raise awareness among women entrepreneurs about finance and credit management.
• Provide financial literacy content and business skills.
• Accelerate the growth of women-owned enterprises, potentially creating over 30 million new women-owned businesses and generating 150-170 million additional jobs.

Key Features

• Provides access to funding and financial services tailored to the needs of women entrepreneurs.
• Offers training programs and workshops to build entrepreneurial skills and business acumen.
• Implements health programs to ensure the physical and mental well-being of women entrepreneurs.
• Facilitates networking events and platforms for women entrepreneurs to connect, share experiences, and collaborate.
• Offers mentorship and guidance from experienced business leaders and industry experts.

Benefits

• Enhances the economic status of women by enabling them to start and grow their businesses.
• Addresses health issues that may hinder women’s participation in entrepreneurship.
• Builds entrepreneurial skills and knowledge, leading to more successful and sustainable businesses.
• Promotes gender equality and women’s empowerment in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

 Challenges

• Limited awareness about the program among potential beneficiaries.
• Ensuring access to financial and technical resources, especially in rural areas.
• Overcoming cultural and social barriers that restrict women’s entrepreneurial activities.

Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) Established: Launched in 2018 by NITI Aayog. Objective: To create an enabling ecosystem for women entrepreneurs in India. Other Main Objectives Promote entrepreneurship Provide access to finance Establish market linkages Provide training and skill development Facilitate mentoring and networking Support business development services Importance Women Empowerment: Promote empowerment through entrepreneurship. Economic Growth: Promote job creation and economic growth through women entrepreneurship. TransUnion CIBIL Objective: Support India’s goal of becoming a $5 trillion economy by empowering women to start and grow profitable businesses. Other Main Objectives Provide credit reports and scoring solutions for individuals and businesses. Serve MSMEs, banks, financial institutions, and insurance companies. Provide information and tools needed for better financial management for individuals and businesses. Importance Promote financial awareness and literacy. Facilitate easy access to financial resources for women and small businesses. Current Scenario India has 63 million MSMEs, of which about 20% are owned by women. These enterprises employ over 27 million people. Results Over the last five years (FY19 – FY24), demand for business loans by women has increased by 3.9 times. The number of women business borrowers has witnessed a significant growth of 10%. As of March 2024, 38% of business loan borrowers were women. The portfolio balance of business loans to women borrowers grew at a CAGR of 35% from March 2019 to March 2024. Women account for 28% of other product loans such as agri-business loans, commercial vehicle loans, and commercial equipment loans.