Abstract
Women entrepreneurs have made significant progress over the recent few decades. Prevalent across the globe, they are contributing significantly to economic growth, job creation, and innovation in developed, developing, and underdeveloped economies. Despite increasing presence in various industries, they continue to face persistent and evolving challenges. While existing research has examined the challenges women entrepreneurs face within specific timeframes and contexts, a comprehensive, long-term and globally focused study remains lacking. To address this gap, this study conducts a systematic literature review of 184 papers from Scopus, EBSCO, and Web of Science, spanning from 1990 to 2023. By thematically categorizing them into personal, family, societal, structural, financial, government-related, and other challenges - this research uniquely traces the evolution of challenges faced by women entrepreneurs over four decades across diverse economies, and systematically analysing their coping mechanisms. By mapping the evolution of these challenges and coping mechanisms, this study offers valuable insights for advancing gender equity in entrepreneurship. The analysis reveals a shift from predominantly family-related and societal challenges in the 1990s to structural and financial constraints in recent decades, alongside an increasing reliance on digital tools and networks as coping strategies. The study also identifies key research gaps, laying the groundwork for future studies and policy interventions to better support women entrepreneurs worldwide.