Women’s Entrepreneurship Day

Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, observed on November 19, celebrates the creativity, determination, and leadership of women who build and grow businesses. It recognizes the many contributions women entrepreneurs make to their communities and economies, while highlighting the ideas, innovation, and perseverance that help turn ambitious visions into reality.

The observance is also an opportunity to support women-owned businesses, encourage aspiring entrepreneurs, and promote greater access to mentorship, funding, education, and professional networks. Whether you shop with a woman-owned company, share an entrepreneur’s story, or offer encouragement to someone launching a venture, November 19 is a meaningful time to champion women in business and help create a more inclusive entrepreneurial landscape.

Women’s Entrepreneurship Day is observed annually on **November 19** to recognize the contributions of women who start and lead businesses. The observance is closely associated with entrepreneur and philanthropist **Wendy Diamond**, who founded the Women’s Entrepreneurship Day Organization (WEDO). Its purpose is to highlight women’s economic and social contributions, promote entrepreneurship among girls and women, and draw attention to the barriers that can limit access to capital, education, mentorship, and business networks.

The movement emerged in the 2010s amid growing international attention to women’s economic empowerment. WEDO describes the first Women’s Entrepreneurship Day gathering as taking place at the United Nations in New York in **2014**, bringing together advocates, business leaders, and public figures to support women entrepreneurs. The event helped establish November 19 as a recurring occasion for recognizing women’s enterprise and for encouraging initiatives designed to expand women’s participation in the global economy.

Over time, Women’s Entrepreneurship Day developed beyond a single United Nations event into an international awareness campaign. Activities associated with November 19 have included conferences, awards, educational programs, mentoring opportunities, fundraising efforts, and discussions about financial inclusion. Supporters have also used the observance to promote entrepreneurship education for girls and to encourage governments, financial institutions, and private organizations to create more equitable conditions for women-owned businesses.

Culturally, the observance reflects a broader shift in how entrepreneurship and economic leadership are represented. It celebrates women whose businesses contribute to household security, employment, innovation, and community development, while also acknowledging persistent inequalities in financing, pay, caregiving responsibilities, and access to professional networks. By focusing attention on these issues each **November 19**, Women’s Entrepreneurship Day serves both as a celebration of women’s achievements and as a call for continued progress toward greater economic opportunity.