Landscaping of Emerging Women Entrepreneurs in the MENA Countries: Activities, Obstacles, and Empowerment
Dr. Samia A. Kargwell

Abstract
This theoretical framework focuses on landscaping women entrepreneurs’ activities in both Arab and African countries, i.e. the MENA region. In the outset, the literature review will highlight the success women entrepreneurs’ in the MENA region have achieved, challenges faced, and policies developed by different governments to support women entrepreneurs ‘activities to achieve a substantial increase in their number. The significance of this review is attributed to the lack of appreciation to women entrepreneurs’ contribution in economic development and for less consideration that is given to the significant role they have had in accelerating economic progress in the MENA region. In fact, the primary justification that always given is related to cultural norms, low participation in entrepreneurial activities, and barriers on doing business (Zawya, 2013).In recent years, the general attention is being given to women and entrepreneurship in developing countries has increased to a greater extent and focuses on this ‘untapped source’ of growth which seems to be indispensable; nowadays for development both practitioners and policy makers have revealed great interest in underutilization of women’s energy that is overlooked for many years in the past. The systematic review will rely mainly on utilizing reliable sources of information for example, government statistics, statistical tables, publications, research papers, books and adult survey will be the main sources of information to find answer for some research questions. The Implication of this review is to emphasize the understanding of activities; challenges specifically faced by women entrepreneurs in the MENA region to create a business environment that promote and eliminate gender-specific barriers they have had experienced. In addition, to compel decision and policy makers to develop appropriate instruments to raise entrepreneurship rates among women in the MENA region.

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