Abstract:
The study “Geographic Determinants of Women’s Economic Participation: A comparative
study of road distribution, mobile network coverage, and land use in Dematagoda and Aswedduma
Grama Niladhari Divisions" examines comparatively how the mentioned factors contribute
to the differences in women’s economic empowerment between urban and rural settings
in Sri Lanka. The data collected through structured questionnaires were processed using Python
to measure variables of empowerment, such as income, employment, autonomy, and financial
access. The study employed the concept of a comparative case study. The Average Dissimilarity
Index (ADI) was applied to calculate inequality, which resulted in a score of 0.9, indicating a
significant disparity. ArcGIS was used to analyse road distribution and land use patterns. Ookla
was employed to measure internet speed, which contributed to the high inequality value. In
addition, qualitative insights were gathered via semi-structured interviews. According to the
findings, the better infrastructure in Dematagoda enabled women to engage in economic activities
and scored highly on all variables (income, employment, autonomy, and financial access).
In contrast, women of Aswedduma are marginalised in economic engagement, with an average
monthly income of Rs. 48,833 compared to Rs. 73,269 in Dematagoda, mainly due to poor road
distribution, weak mobile connectivity, and unsupportive land use patterns. The study proposed
a GIS-based digital infrastructure enhancement plan for the Ipalogama Divisional Secretariat
Division to reduce disparities in mobile network coverage. In addition, it recommended establishing
a web platform called “CraftHer” to connect rural women with mentorship opportunities
and access to markets. The study, which was built on feminist geography perspectives and
Kabeer’s (1999) empowerment paradigm, concludes that mentioning sustainable women’s economic
empowerment should address both spatial and technical exclusions while strengthening
capacity-building initiatives.
