Empowerment or constraint? Displaced women entrepreneurs at the intersection of religion, gender and economic exclusion

Purpose This study examines the entrepreneurial experiences of displaced women in Ethiopia through an intersectional lens, analysing how gender, displacement, religion and socio-economic status shape their agency and constraints. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts a qualitative research design, employing in-depth interviews with displaced women entrepreneurs. Thematic analysis was used to explore how intersecting identities influence their entrepreneurial trajectories. Findings Findings reveal that displaced women entrepreneurs navigate overlapping layers of disadvantage – including patriarchal norms, economic precarity and religious expectations – while also exercising agency within these constraints. Many women reinterpret religious and cultural norms as enablers rather than barriers to entrepreneurship, demonstrating a nuanced negotiation of empowerment. Additionally, systemic barriers such as legal illiteracy, financial exclusion and ethnic discrimination exacerbate their economic vulnerability, necessitating tailored policy interventions. This study identifies the importance of context-specific support mechanisms that acknowledge the paradox of entrepreneurship as both an opportunity and a mechanism reinforcement of pre-existing inequalities. Research limitations/implications While this study provides valuable insights, its findings are context-specific and may not be generalisable to all displaced women entrepreneurs. Future research should explore diverse displacement contexts and examine how intersectionality interacts with broader political and economic structures. Policymakers and practitioners should prioritise gender-responsive, culturally sensitive entrepreneurial programs that recognise displaced women's unique challenges and aspirations. Originality/value This study contributes to intersectionality and entrepreneurship scholarship by extending theoretical frameworks to displacement contexts, illustrating how simultaneity, complexity, irreducibility and inclusivity manifest in displaced women's entrepreneurial experiences. It challenges binary understandings of empowerment and oppression, emphasising how women construct entrepreneurial agency within structural limitations.