Microfinance was widely lauded for decades as a surefire and promising way to break the cycle of poverty and uplift the economies of the developing world, especially when targeted for women. But hard data has shown that, on its own, micro-loans don't serve to create sustainable change without a comprehensive approach, and that there are many other factors - such as education and healthcare - to consider when leveraging these tools.

Years of misrule and a subsequent dearth of hard currency, along with crippling bank-fostered debt cycles and exorbitant home mortgage interest rates, have created immense suffering for Myanmar's poor. But with the guidance of a local NGO, Women for the World, a pilot project helped women in some of Yangon's poorest neighborhoods capitalize on their cultural "head-of-household" status. It helped them form and manage community savings cooperatives, secure land, build homes, buy food, and even generate profit through loans to families' business enterprises.

Chile supports women-owned enterprises by including gender criteria in all government purchasing. The country also offers mentorship and management training opportunities, which has led to the creation of a networking organization. The policy ideas are spreading in the Latin American and Caribbean region.

Black Girl Ventures levels the playing field for women of color who seek capital for their business ventures. Entrepreneurs are invited to pitch their ideas at crowdfunded sessions, which means the funding varies depending on the size of the crowd and its willingness to invest. In addition to capital, BGV recognizes the need for minorities to access a network, mentoring, and business coaching to navigate the systems necessary to build a business. The nonprofit has chapters in several cities and works with local organizations that are already in place helping black businesses.

Smartphones and cheap data are enabling Indian women, even those who never learned how to read and write, to access new networks and markets. Voice memos and images shared via apps like WhatsApp make accessing information easier. As a result, women are running businesses, finding new customers, and even saving remote forests by alerting journalists to illegal logging. As the accessibility of smartphones and affordable data increases, so does this demographic’s autonomy.