BEAUTY, BUSINESS, AND BELONGING : Understanding Women’s Empowerment in Sri Lanka through Entrepreneurship and Social Media

This thesis examines how women entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka define empowerment, and how they use social media in the process, centring on the question: "How can women of the global south be empowered through entrepreneurship and the use of social media?" Adopting a bottom-up approach to policy and theory building, the study prioritizes women's lived experiences over externally imposed definitions. By integrating their perspectives, this research contributes to a more contextually relevant understanding of empowerment, emphasizing economic independence, decision-making authority, and social transformation. Although women comprise 51.5% of Sri Lanka’s population, their economic participation remains disproportionately low, and structural barriers, wage disparities, and gendered social norms continue to limit their entrepreneurial potential. However, digital platforms, particularly social media, have emerged as transformative tools, facilitating marketing, networking, knowledge sharing, and business growth. Using a mixed-methods approach, this research highlights how entrepreneurial agency, supported by social media, enhances women’s confidence and financial security, as well as their ability to negotiate societal and familial expectations. The research findings underscore the critical role of social media in empowering women entrepreneurs by enhancing their self-esteem, confidence, and decision-making autonomy. Many of the participants shared stories of personal growth, describing how entrepreneurship strengthened their ability to negotiate within family dynamics and assert their preferences in both private and public spheres. The final stage of this research led to the development of the “Empower Her” app prototype, a digital platform designed to support women entrepreneurs in their journey toward empowerment. By providing access to knowledge, networking opportunities, and business development resources, the app serves as an extension of the study’s findings, bridging the gap between entrepreneurial ambition and practical empowerment. Ultimately, this research advances both theoretical and practical discussions on women’s empowerment, illustrating the interplay between entrepreneurship, digital engagement, and self-determination in the Sri Lankan context.