Abstract
Property rights are complex and multifaceted economic attributes with myriads of socio-economicand political ramifications. In Pakistan, in the majority of cases, the rights to the protection of property are denied to women on many pretexts. Using Gender Equality Measures of International Property Rights Index, this paper contests the role and barriers of sound property rights, and the creation of an entrepreneurial ecosystem for women. It also discusses the role of protection of women's property rights in the purview of elimination of violence against women. Research data is collected through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. The interview context such as interview time, days, and occasions, were taken into consideration. The interviews were audio-recorded with individual and group feedback arrangements. Data were analyzed using content analyses and thematic analyses. The study shows that financial credit and access, and social activism significantly contribute to sound women's property rights which are the main source of wealth. Red tapism in public offices, organizational gender insensitivity, and men's unwelcoming attitudes were found to be the major constraints in women's entrepreneurial initiatives. Wealth sources such as dowry, wedlock money, and inheritance, helped women to raise money for their enterprises; besides, knowledge economy could hugely benefit women if their intellectual property is also appropriately protected. The study concludes that sound property rights would reduce violence against women and provide a favorable entrepreneurial ecosystem. The study provides practical implications along with future research directions.
Keywords: Perceived business risk, Maganitude of RM Methods, Formalization of RM Methods, Perceived Organization Performance