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Figure 3. Distribution of Construction and ICT enterprises by province
from Unlocking Opportunities for the Private Sector in Nepal Promoting greener and more inclusive growth
Construction enterprises accounted for less than 1% of the total enterprises in the country. The three provinces had a percentage share of 22% of the total construction enterprises in the country. Among the three provinces, Lumbini had the highest number of construction enterprises.
Information & Communication Technology (ICT). Enterprises in ICT sector comprised 0.3% of the total enterprises in the country. About 23% of the ICT enterprises were located in the three provinces. Similar to other sectors, Lumbini had the highest number of ICT enterprises among the three provinces.
Figure 3. Distribution of Construction and ICT enterprises by province
2.1.2 Gender
Women owned businesses. According to the 2018 National Economic Census of the Central Bureau of Statistics, about 30% of the enterprises in Nepal were owned by women (CBS 2021). The greater percentage of women owned enterprises were engaged in the following sectors: (i) wholesale and retail and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles; (ii) accommodation and food services; and (iii) manufacturing. The wholesale and retail trade, which is generally characterized by low technology and productivity, had the highest number of women-owned enterprises.
The female Human Development Index (HDI) value for Nepal is 0.549, compared to 0.619 for males. This results in a Gender Development Index (GDI)15 value of 0.886, which suggests that the degree of gender disparity in human development in Nepal as a whole is not very high. Among the three focus provinces and in the whole country, Province 2 had the highest gender disparity with a GDI of 0.786. The women’s education and income index, respectively, are 19% and 37% lower than those of men. (NPC; UNDP 2020)
In terms of Gender Inequality Index (GII)16, which takes into account women’s disadvantages in reproductive health, empowerment, and economic activity, Karnali had the highest level. This was attributed to higher maternal mortality and fertility rates together with the lowest female shares in both secondary education and parliamentary seats. (NPC; UNDP 2020).
15 The greater the value of the GDI, the lower the gender disparity in human development. 16 The value of the GII ranges from zero (complete gender equality) to one (extreme gender inequality).
