Women Entrepreneurship and Household Economic Resilience: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Women entrepreneurship is increasingly recognized as a strategic pathway for strengthening household economic resilience, particularly in developing economies. This article presents a systematic literature review examining the relationship between women entrepreneurship and household economic resilience. Using a PRISMA-oriented procedure, peer-reviewed articles and institutional reports published mainly between 2019 and 2026 were identified, screened, and thematically synthesized. The review identifies six dominant themes: financial access and literacy, digital capability, social capital and family support, gendered constraints, business performance and household welfare, and crisis resilience. Findings indicate that women entrepreneurship enhances household resilience through income diversification, savings, asset accumulation, and improved education and health expenditure. However, this relationship is influenced by unpaid care work, social norms, financial exclusion, business capability, and institutional support. The study proposes gender-responsive policies and entrepreneurship programs.