Does Microfinance Singlehandedly Empower Women? A Case Study of Bangladesh

The role played by microfinancing in the empowerment of women has been a subject of debate in recent literature. By employing the case study method, this paper explores the influencing determinants. Data was obtained from a field interview comprised of 20 female microfinance borrowers and their male family members, as well as focus group discussions and participant observation. The economic, social, and political empowerment of the interviewed women were assessed using Kabeer's empowerment framework, and the results reveal that microfinancing does not influence the economic and political dimensions of female empowerment; instead, microfinancing was observed to empower women socially, particularly with respect to their participation in major decision-making. The results further indicate that the age, family type, educational level, financial literacy, and training of female microfinance clients play important roles in their empowerment.