Over the past decade, services have been the fastest growing sector of the world economy. Services now account for approximately two-thirds of the world’s economic activity and over half of the world’s workforce is employed by the sector.

Women tend to start businesses in the services sector helped by the expansion of new information and communication technologies. The vast majority of service firms in both developed and developing countries are microenterprises, operated by well-educated women. The sector is considered well-suited to women as they need relatively little capital and can manage their companies from a home base.