A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE SOCIAL EMPOWERMENT OF URBAN AND RURAL WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS IN PALGHAR DISTRICT

Women entrepreneurs play a crucial role in enhancing the economic and social development of the urban and rural women entrepreneurs. Women are able to improve their social status in the society by active participation in entrepreneurship. This study helps to examine the social empowerment of urban and rural women entrepreneurs. This study compares various factors such as financial independence, decision making freedom, family recognition and support, improvement in self-confidence, active participation in community groups, overcoming gender-based barriers and expression of opinions in the society among the urban and rural women entrepreneurs of Palghar district. The survey was conducted among 104 women entrepreneurs of Palghar district through a multiple-choice questionnaire. The findings indicate that urban women entrepreneurs are more socially empowered than the rural women entrepreneurs.