Female trailblazers: empowering communities, empathy, innovation, and SDG 16 towards sustainability

This research addresses institutional voids and cultural barriers (Mean 4.3) by exploring the nexus between female-led social entrepreneurship and SDG 16. It aims to quantify the impact of gender-driven innovation on institutional resilience and global peacebuilding. The study uses a multi-method research design and combines systematic review of 160 articles using the PRISMA protocol, use of NVivo supported thematic analysis of fifteen entrepreneurs (P1 to P15) and a survey of 160 respondents. The triangulated method also improves the level of analytical rigor since it allows convergence, validation, and strength of emergent themes based on the qualitative results. Findings reveal a robust Correlation Coefficient ( r = 0.78, p < 0.01) and a Predictive Coefficient (beta = 0.85) for sustainability. “Digital Migration” to Instagram (P4, P11) emerged as a transformative “Techno-Adaptive” response (Mean 4.2), while family support (P1) and experts’ inspiration and empathy (P12) explain 72% of entrepreneurial success. The study concludes that “Hybrid Organizing” effectively bridges systemic gaps, offering a definitive blueprint for leveraging gender-inclusive innovation to sustain resilient institutions.