Conference Papers Year : 2022

Leveraging Blockchain Technology for the Empowerment of Women Micro-entrepreneurs

Fazeelah Isaacs
  • Function : Author
  • PersonId : 1389197
Grant Oosterwyk
  • Function : Author
  • PersonId : 1389198
Rebecca Njugana
  • Function : Author
  • PersonId : 1389199

Abstract

Despite the fact that scholars have identified blockchain technology as a powerful tool that can facilitate financial inclusion and empower marginalized people, there is a lack of research regarding its use amongst women, specifically women micro-entrepreneurs. This criticism lends itself to the issue of gender imbalances and inequality in some sections of IT/IS. This study aims to determine the benefits, risks and challenges associated with using blockchain technology for empowering women micro-entrepreneurs. A qualitative research strategy was adopted by using an interview approach, and data collection which focused on the perspectives of professionals employed in the blockchain sector.Using an affordance lens as a guideline, the findings and analysis from the interviews show that blockchain technology both directly and indirectly affords financial inclusion amongst women micro-entrepreneurs in particularly access to financial products and services to promote active participation. We found that many participants motivated that a blockchain solution will not be feasible in the context of a single micro-entrepreneur, but that women should form a network where they will be able to support each other and benefit from economies of scale.
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hal-04601140 , version 1 (05-06-2024)

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Fazeelah Isaacs, Grant Oosterwyk, Rebecca Njugana. Leveraging Blockchain Technology for the Empowerment of Women Micro-entrepreneurs. 17th International Conference on Social Implications of Computers in Developing Countries (ICT4D), May 2022, Lima, Peru. pp.217-236, ⟨10.1007/978-3-031-19429-0_14⟩. ⟨hal-04601140⟩
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