Role of Small Business Firms in Women Economic Empowerment: A Case Study of Gilgit Baltistan

Abstract

This study is concerned with the role of small business firms in women economic empowerment in Gilgit Baltistan. The research design is a survey research using both qualitative and quantitative tools. Tabulation, frequency and percentages are the main tools used in Quantitative procedures while qualitative procedure includes the identification and comparison of different responses. Chi-Square test is also applied to test the hypothesis, developed in this study. The simple random sampling technique has been used to select respondents from 6 different small business firms and a sample of 200 female workers has been selected. The results showed that 65.12% female workers have been empowered economically due to small business firms. 66.28% respondents responded that firms have increased their decision making power on modification, repair and construction of a house and 61.63% responded that they take decisions on sale and purchase of livestock. The results further reveal that 80.23% said that they can take decision on transition of household equipment and 69.77% said that they can take decision on issues of children education. One interesting result is that these firms do not increase female workers education level instead it has increased their children education level. The results of chisquare test revealed that small business firms in Gilgit Baltistan have a significant positive impact on women economic empowerment and decision making power. International Journal of Academic Research in Economics and Management Sciences Nov 2014, Vol. 3, No. 6 ISSN: 2226-3624 23