Role of Microfinance in Women Empowerment: Causes and Implications of Paradoxical Results

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Authors

  • Ritika Madan
     Department of Commerce, MRIIRS, Faridabad, Haryana ,IN
  • Monika Goel
     Department of Commerce, MRIIRS, Faridabad, Haryana ,IN

Keywords:

Empowerment, Microfinance, Outcomes, Processes, Self-Help groups.

Abstract

Various microfinance schemes are being commonly used for empowering women across nations. But, the impact of these schemes on their empowerment is debatable. The benefit may be reversed in case a woman loses control over her borrowed amount. Also, to top-up what if the final responsibility to repay also lies completely with that woman. In such conditions when she is forced to work in the exploitative labour market, struggling for repayment issues, we can surely not view it in the positive manner. This study examined the dichotomy in the way the empowerment is quantified within the literature of microfinance. From the data collected in 2022, of 95 women SHG members from the Gurugram district, Haryana, it was deduced that measuring the impact only through the outcomes as most of the studies do, is insufficient and deceiving. There is a dire need to include the processes, surrounding credit usage and its repayment.

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Published

2024-03-25

Issue

Volume 20, Issue 2, 2023

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Articles

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