Empowering Rural Women: Addressing Barriers to Education and Entrepreneurship for Family Economic Welfare

Abstract

Women’s empowerment through education and entrepreneurship plays an important role in encouraging the improvement of family economic welfare in the ASEAN region. However, women living in rural areas still face various obstacles that prevent them from optimally utilizing these opportunities. Some of the main obstacles that emerged in this study include unequal access to adequate education, limited access to business capital, and the influence of social norms that limit women’s participation in economic activities. These three factors directly hinder women’s capacity to develop their potential and actively contribute to family economic growth. However, various empowerment programs that provide access to entrepreneurship education and training have shown potential in increasing women’s involvement in the productive economic sector. Women who receive adequate skills and support tend to be able to access job opportunities or build their own businesses, thus having a positive impact not only on themselves but also on their families. Therefore, this study emphasizes the importance of policy support that supports gender equality, as well as providing more equitable access to entrepreneurship education and resources for women, especially in rural areas that have not been optimally reached.