Social Work Intervention for Women Empowerment through Self-Employment

Abstract

“End poverty in all its forms everywhere’ is the first goal of the world 2030 agenda for sustainable development. Poverty is one of the greatest global challenges in contemporary world. It has been recognized that eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions is required for sensible and appropriate society. Eradicating poverty is also aims to ensure social protection for poor and vulnerable communities. In current Sri Lankan society there are many poor males headed families without sufficient income for family expenses as well as to access to basic services. Women in such low income families should have the opportunity to assist their family income without violating their freedom as well as duties and responsibilities. This research expects to find out how Social Work Intervention is required in women empowerment for poverty eradication through Self-employment. The objectives of this research are to identify the opportunities and barriers for self employment of women in low income families as well as to identify the social work intervention for such barriers in order to step into poverty eradication. This study has been conducted using mix method. A questionnaire, in-depth interview methods were used for data collection. The results of the research indicated that some women run very small self-employments at their houses without knowing those are self-employments which can develop further with suitable advices, recourses as well as motivation to improve such employments. Study further revealed that many women are unaware of the opportunities as well as some women are reluctant to find out opportunities due to their family, social and economic barriers. It is important to empower them to determine opportunities by social work interventions through community and religious leaders etc for self employment for better life