Global Journal of Human Social Science, C: Sociology and Culture, Volume 22 Issue 1

© 2022 Global Journals Volume XXII Issue I Version I 21 ( ) Global Journal of Human Social Science - Year 2022 C The Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on Women Entrepreneurs: An Analysis from Socio-Economic Perspective in Rangpur City Corporation, Bangladesh so children are at home, many parents said they spent considerably more time caring for their children, compelling them to work late at night on their enterprises after completing domestic tasks [2]. COVID- 19 is no exception to the rule that the effects of crises are seldom gender-neutral [30]. Gender-based violence is also made more likely by a lack of education and economic hardship. Women who lack sufficient financial means are unable to flee violent spouses and are more vulnerable to sexual exploitation and trafficking [30]. Rangpur City Corporation is considered as the centre of economic and trade centre of Northern Districts of Bangladesh. Many women entrepreneurs are running their enterprises in Rangpur City Corporation. Access to e-commerce with the development of telecommunication and technology, the number is increasing day by day. But no one is out of the impact of the global pandemic due to Covid-19 virus. They are also experiencing the impact of Covid-19. This study is focused to identify the socio-economic impact of Covid-19 on women entrepreneur in Rangpur City, Bangladesh. IV. L iterature R eview Women entrepreneurs are becoming as key actors in the national economy, according to research, and they constitute the fastest growing category of entrepreneurship globally, drawing the attention of many scholars in recent years. According to the accumulated literature, women can make a major contribution to entrepreneurial activity and economic growth in terms of creating new employment and raising GDP, with favorable effects on poverty reduction and social exclusion [31]. Women's entrepreneurship is on the rise in both developed and developing nations, according to studies from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). In several nations, the number of women-owned enterprises and their turnover are rapidly expanding [32]. There are not numerous academic or literary works on Covid-19 pandemic and women entrepreneurship. Also there are not too many but some quality works on women entrepreneurs, among those a number of available literature have been reviewed which are directly or passively related to the objectives of this work. Among them the most important reviewed literature has been given below: Lubna & Parvin (2017) says that “An entrepreneur is a person who possesses the entrepreneurial qualities, bears the risk provides capital and uses them in setting up business. They generate innovative business ideas, take new business opportunities, make investment by themselves or borrow, take risk and enjoy profit as a reward of their endeavor and expand the business.” Begum (1993) defines an entrepreneur as someone who develops and maintains a business or economic activity. According to Khanka (2002), women entrepreneurs are individuals who invent, replicate, or adopt a commercial activity. When new sorts of entrepreneurs develop in the future, such as STEM entrepreneurs, gig entrepreneurs, and technology entrepreneurs, new definitions will be required. Aktaruzzaman (2001) identifies self-confidence, result- oriented, risk-taking, leadership, innovation, and future- oriented are the traits of women entrepreneurs. According to Nawaz (2009), in order to become an entrepreneur, women must seek for possibilities, appraise them, and turn them into profitable businesses. Information is now available to everyone thanks to the revolution in information technology. As a result, at both the stage of searching for investment possibilities and the stage of implementing the chosen opportunity, women must possess excellent skills and extensive knowledge in order to receive and analyze information. According to Hisrich and Lerner (1997), women entrepreneurs can play a critical role in the growth of the small company sector. Women entrepreneurs, they feel, can play an important role in improving emerging economies. Sultana (2006) acknowledges that without women's engagement in the country's development sectors, no progress can be made. In today's global economy, women's engagement is critical in reducing poverty, playing an active role in the economy, and contributing to GDP. In a nutshell, their engagement leads to transforming to a society's whole economy. According to Braun (2011), women entrepreneurs have improved their living conditions and gained greater respect in the family and society. The dual participation of governmental and non- governmental financial institutions, as well as other support services institutions and government policy supports, has resulted in success. Dorothy Tembo, Executive Director of International Trade Centre, claims that although the pandemic has reached every part of the globe, the economic earthquake released by COVID-19 does not affect everyone in the same manner. MSMEs have been particularly exposed to the effects of the crisis since they have fewer means to weather the storm (International Trade Centre, 2020). According to O'Sullivan (2021), epidemics and pandemics do not come and go, and hence have an influence on the economy and society. Consider the cholera outbreak of the early 1830s in France (and other parts of central Europe), when hospitals were overburdened with patients whose maladies doctors couldn't explain. Capaldi et al., (2012) stated that women entrepreneurs suffer higher hardship in