This paper analyzes the drivers of female necessity entrepreneurship using a sample of 59 countries, with data sourced from the 2018–2019 global entrepreneurship monitor (GEM). It develops a theoretical framework describing how post-secondary education, startup skills, fear of failure, knowing another entrepreneur, entrepreneurial intentions, and hiring expectations act as drivers of female necessity entrepreneurship. Using qualitative comparative analysis, two models are tested to explain the presence and absence of female necessity entrepreneurship. This outcome is measured using the GEM indicator of total early-stage entrepreneurial activity.