Technological Advancement as a Catalyst for Women Empowerment through Entrepreneurship: Post Covid-19 Scenario in Bangladesh

Abstract

Introduction: Women Entrepreneurship plays a vital role towards economic development of a country.  The Covid-19 pandemic, while disrupted Bangladesh with experiencing widespread employee retrenchment and economic uncertainty, also helped accelerate women entrepreneurship in several ways. During this crisis, women played a crucial role in fostering economic resilience by embracing technology, with a significant focus on online businesses.

Objectives: This paper explores how technological advancement drives as women’s empowerment through entrepreneurship specifically after the Covid-19 period.

Methods: To conduct this research, primary data have been collected through focused group discussions (FGDs), from women entrepreneurs who launched their businesses during the pandemic.

Results: This study highlights some challenges such as income inequality and economic disempowerment, limited access to education, gender-based violence (GBV), workplace discrimination and harassment, glass cliff phenomenon etc. which drives women to start their online businesses. However, capital insufficiency and lack of knowledge to operate the technology is still a barrier to flourish an enterprise.

Conclusions: The situation in Bangladesh following Covid-19 has shown that technology may be a potent facilitator of women's social and economic emancipation. It is of utmost priority to design and execute some policies in favor of women entrepreneurship to have a smooth journey for upcoming women entrepreneurs.