Inclusive entrepreneurship to improve the economic status of SGBV survivors in safe homes:A case study of the northern province of Sri Lanka

Abstract

The recent financial crisis in Sri Lanka has highlighted a wide range of sexual and gender-basedviolence (SGBV) within families and society. SGBV has far-reaching consequences, as the numberof women and girls who are SGBV survivors has increased, and new safe homes for women andgirls have been established and maintained by government and nongovernment organizations.For SGBV survivors to end the cycle of violence and establish a more just and secure environmentfor healing, improving their economic status is essential. This includes meeting the fundamentalrequirements for housing, food, and health care, as well as some initiatives to improve theireconomic status through job training, education, and the encouragement of feasible businessstart-ups. Inclusive entrepreneurship reflects the inclusion of underrepresented groups inentrepreneurship to assist them in overcoming economic and social challenges. Consequently,there is a need for an SGBV survivor-centric, action-based strategy to help survivors improvetheir economic status, overcome obstacles, and achieve financial stability and independence. The study presented in this chapter explores an inclusive entrepreneurship model for improvingthe economic status of SGBV survivors. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions wereused to gather qualitative data on respondents’ views on engaging in entrepreneurship toimprove their economic status and administrators’ views regarding the components of theproposed inclusive model. Findings are directly relevant to sustainable development goal (SDG) 8(Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality). The chapter offers anoperative, survivor-centered, inclusive entrepreneurship model that can be utilized bygovernment and nongovernment organizations to facilitate safe homes and improve theeconomic status of SGBV survivors in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka.