Women's Economic Empowerment through Community Service in Three Villages of Liechtenstein: A Participatory Action Approach

Abstract

This article presents findings from a community service program addressing women's economic empowerment across three villages in Liechtenstein—Schaan, Ruggell, and Eschen. Liechtenstein, a doubly landlocked micro-state of approximately 38,000 inhabitants nestled between Switzerland and Austria, presents a paradox of high aggregate national wealth alongside persistent gender gaps in economic participation, particularly in rural village communities where traditional gender norms constrain women's entry into formal employment and entrepreneurship. The six-month program engaged 196 women aged 22–65 in financial literacy training, microenterprise development, and digital marketing skill-building, delivered through a participatory action model co-designed with village women's associations. Post-program evaluations documented significant improvements in financial literacy scores (up 47%), business plan development capacity (up 52%), and digital marketing proficiency (up 61%). Five new women-led microenterprises were registered during the program period in the three villages. The study contributes to the literature on community service-driven economic empowerment in high-income micro-states, demonstrating that gender economic inequality is not confined to developing country contexts and that participatory academic-community partnerships can catalyze meaningful change even in affluent settings.