ROLE OF MICROFINANCE ON WOMEN EMPOWERMENT: A STUDY IN SOME SELECTED AREAS OF MANIKGANJ DISTRICT

Abstract

Microfinance programs are being considered as an important development strategy all over the world especially in developing countries like Bangladesh.The aim of the study is to identify the effectiveness of microfinance program. Main objectives of the study were to determine the socio-economic status of women borrowing microfinance, to identify their decision-making ability and measure of women empowerment at household leveland also identify the credit related problems in the study area. This study was conducted in Manikganj Sadar upazila and Saturia upazila under Manikganj district. The population for the study covers the residents who have been engaged with microfinance activities and lives in this locality. A total 60 women beneficiary from Grameen Bank, BRAC and ASA were selected by using purposive sampling technique. Thus, 60 women beneficiaries constituted the sample of the study. A well structured interview schedule was developed based on objectives of the study for collecting information. Data collection was started in 1 st June, 2020 and completed in 30 th July, 2020. Women empowerment index was constructed by following average method and frequency distribution with the help of SPSS to find out the effectiveness of microfinance on women empowerment. The findings of the study reveal that the socio-economic condition and empowerment status of the respondents’ female borrowers of microfinance was not so good. Only 18.3% respondents utilize the loan money herself and the other 81.7% respondents give the money to their husband. In the study area microfinance services only help the respondents to improve their decision-making ability but in other empowerment issues most of the respondents were empowered at low level. Thus, it can be summarized that in the study area the effectiveness of microfinance program towards women empowerment was not in a satisfactory level.