Abstract Book of the 4th World Conference on Gender Equality
Year: 2026
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Micro-Entrepreneurhip and Empowerment of Women in Kampala Central Division, Uganda
Nestor Basemera
ABSTRACT:
The study examined how use of the urban space in Kampala Central Division by women micro entrepreneurs had enabled them to become empowered. The findings reveal that micro-entrepreneurship offers women a measure of liberation from hegemonic masculinity and a wider array of choices, decision-making capacity, and increased agency. However, women micro-entrepreneurs’ effective use of the urban space was impeded by limited startup capital, ‘the cat and mouse chase’ by KCCA officials and care roles that disproportionately affected women’s time use. Similarly, gender discrimination and acts of sexual violence, reinforced by cultural norms as well as dominant patriarchal social order in the urban space hampered women’s empowerment. Women, thus, require a more enabling environment to operate micro-enterprises aptly. Nestor recommends the development of a policy that promotes the regularization of micro enterprises by women in urban areas.
Keywords: Micro-Entrepreneurship, Empowerment, Cultural Norms, Agency, Care Roles