On October 8, 2024, Thilini De Silva will present her ongoing work on “Women Empowerment through Entrepreneurship and Use of Social Media: A Special Reference to the Context of Sri Lanka”. Thilini De Silva is a PhD student at the Department of Computer and Systems Sciences (DSV), Stockholm University, and NSBM Green University in Sri Lanka.

The seminar takes place in Zoom. Contact Henrik Hansson if you’d like to join.

Respondent: Thilini De Silva, NSBM/DSV
Opponent: Saguna Saguna, Luleå University of Technology
Main supervisor: Henrik Hansson, DSV
Supervisor: Caroline Wamala Larsson, DSV
Professor closest to the subject: Jalal Nouri, DSV

Contact information for Thilini De Silva

Abstract

Women represent 51.5% (10.8 million) of the population of Sri Lanka, a developing nation located in the middle of the Indian ocean. Originally identified as a patriarchal society, the contemporary Sri Lanka shows progression for equality for women, and prominence of women participation in different facets of the society. With a female literacy rate of 91.7% and women constituting over 60% of university graduates, Sri Lanka has achieved gender parity in primary and secondary education.

However, despite of the educational achievements the women participation in the economic activity is around 35% when compared to men economic participation at 75% as women face the challenges such as limited access to resources and opportunities, wage disparities, difficulties, and in work-life balance due to lack of support.

Women employment and women entrepreneurship are catalysts of empowering women, social progress, gender equality, and developing an economy of a country. Entrepreneurship has become an important means of employment. The emergence of women entrepreneurs in a society depends largely on the economic, social, religious, cultural, and psychological factors prevailing in the society. Entrepreneurship can be potentially challenging for women. Considering their role as the main caregivers of the family, women might have some limitations in finance, business skills, mobility, and networks, to be able to run a successful business.

ICTs bring entrepreneurial opportunities, technical support and many other services that overcome limitations imposed upon women. The technology can be used as a platform to improve their knowledge, market their products, and networking to support grow their businesses. A new kind of service made available by the Internet, which has gained tremendous popularity is social media.