Query: microfinance and women empowerment

title: EFFECT OF MICROFINANCE INTERVENTIONS ON FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN A CASE OF MOMBASA COUNTY, KENYA
abstract: The focus of this study was to know the effect of microfinance interventions on financial empowerment of Women in Mombasa County. Existing studies largely focused on the entreprenership aspests and rural women. However, this study considered a broader aspect by focusing on women who sought microfinance services not only for business but also for household needs. This study reviewed three theories namely; the financial constraint theory, the empowerment theory, joint liability theory and one model namely, Grameen Bank Model. The study used the causal comparative research design and the focused population was Self Help Groups (SHGs) women groups in Mombasa County. The study used simple random sampling to select from the 877 SHGs women groups in Mombasa County and adopted a small sample size of 275. To collect Primary data questionnaires were administered to group leaders of self help groups conveniently selected from the stratum during their meetings. SPSS was used to generate descriptive and inferential statistics which were used to come up with conclusions and generilazations regarding the population. The particular descriptive statistics was frequencies, mean scores and standard deviation. The particular inferential statistics were regression and correlation analysis. A multivariate regression model was used to link the independent variables to the dependent variable. The study concluded that microfinance insurance requirements are not transparent as there are hidden terms which are rarely revealed to the customer. Microfinance institutions provide financial trainings frequently on women which help them make prudent financial decisions that are geared towards empowering them. The study recommended that microfinance institutions should develop credit policies geared towards enabling women to access loans easily and with fewer requirements. Microfinance institutions management should motivate women and other social groups to save more. The study recommended that financial trainings offered by microfinance institutions should be highly revised to capture contemporary trends in finance and business. Most importantly MFIs should concentrate more in creating awareness in micro insurance as it is the variable that contributes least on Financial Empowerment. The beneficiaries of this study are other researchers, academic organizations and policy makers.  Lending, Saving, Micro Insurance, Financial Training services, Financial Empowerment CITATION: Adero, L. A. Kariuki, G. M. (2020) Effect of microfinance interventions on financial empowerment of women a case of Mombasa County, Kenya. The Strategic Journal of Business Change Management 7(4) 572 590.

title: Ethiopian Women Economic Empowerment Through Microfinance
abstract: Women's economic empowerment a strategy helping women to participate in the process of making decisions, supporting income increment, asset possession. The main aim of this study is to investigate the microfinance impact on women economic empowerment considering age and education as moderators. Data for this study have been collected from 346 respondents of microfinance beneficiary women. For data analysis multiple regression and moderated regression with Hayes (2018) process macro software were used in the study. Regression results showed that credit amount, age, number of training, marital status, education level, have a significant impact on the development of women's economy. However, the business experience has an insignificant impact on the development of women's economy. Moderated regression results revealed that age and education did not have a moderation role in the relationship between microfinance service and on the economic empowerment of women. Microfinance affects women's economic empowerment by improving women's independent income, increasing asset possession levels, and improved monthly saving amount. Moreover, the study proved that the microfinance institution has a vital role in women entrepreneurs' development and business exposure.

title: Assessing the Impact of Microfinance Services at Individual Level: A Comparative Study of Women Empowerment in Pakistan
abstract: Some recent studies have empirically proved that micro finance schemes launched for women empowerment have failed to attain their required goals as women are just used as a tool to get loans; In this context, the present study is undertaken to verify the usefulness of microcredit for women empowerment in Pakistan.  Quantitative approach is used to assess the impact of microfinance loan services on women economic empowerment and to see whether members of microfinance institutes are equally empowered to the nonmembers. For this purpose, survey was conducted in Multan District of Punjab, Pakistan. Independent sample t test is used to estimate the difference between two independent groups of participants. In a sample size of 300 women, 200 are participants of MFI while rest of the 100 are non participants. The data has been analyzed by using Independent samples t test, as it is the comparison of two different independent groups.  The study shows that women members of micro finance institutions (MFIs) are more empowered compared to non members. Overall, the results show that there is a positive relationship between MFI and women economic empowerment in Multan. Women participants of MFI have greater role in decision making, more autonomy inmobility, greater control over income and savings generated from income generating activities, more role in employment generation and increased ownership of productive assets and property than non member MFIs. Novelty/Applications: The current study presents a case for a nuanced and more sophisticated analysis of the linkages between MFIs memberships and women's empowerment. Empowerment alonemay not automatically lead to empowerment, but networks and guidance also important factors that can determine the success or failure of the empowerment approach. Thus, MFIs should hold meetings with women to guide them about the proper use of loan in their business activities.

title: The Intersection of Islamic Microfinance and Women's Empowerment: A Case Study of Baitul Maal Wat Tamwil in Indonesia
abstract: It is largely assumed that Islamic microfinance institutions (IMFIs) deal with family empowerment instead of women's empowerment. However, women are the main beneficiaries of Baitul Maal Wat Tamwil (BMT) Indonesia's first IMFIs. This paper aims to explore the origins, the initiators, and the visions of BMTs and the extent to which they intersect with women's empowerment. Employing a qualitative approach, this study selected four BMTs in Yogyakarta as a case study. It found that four critical groups that have a significant role in the development of Indonesian BMTs: ICMI (Association of Indonesian Muslim Intellectual) Islamic mass organizations, NGOs, and local governments. The issues of loan sharks and poverty alleviation were the primary factors driving the inception of BMTs. Despite women being crucial clients, none of the studied BMTs explicitly invoked women's empowerment in their organizational vision. To conclude, the BMTs' preference for women is not based on an understanding of gender inequality, but rather motivated by pragmatic business considerations, particularly the self sustainability paradigm that underpins their practices.

title: Role of Microfinance in Women Empowerment
abstract: Microfinance is developing as an incredible instrument for neediness easing in the new economy.In India, Microfinance scene is overwhelmed without anyone else Help Group, CommercialBank Linkage Program as a viable system for giving budgetary administrations to the "Unarrivedat Poor" This has been effective not just in gathering monetary needs of the rustic poorladies yet in addition fortifies aggregate self improvement limits of the poor ladies, promptingtheir strengthening. Monetary strengthening results in woman's capacity to impact or settle onchoice, expanded fearlessness, better status and job in family and so on. This paper endeavors toplace ahead how small scale fund has gotten broad acknowledgment as a methodology forfinancial strengthening of ladies. This examination analyzed the job of Micro accountinstitutions as for monetary strengthening and neediness easing of provincial ladies. An exertionis additionally made to recommend the approaches to build ladies strengthenin

title: Surfacing the political: Women's empowerment, microfinance, critical dialogic accounting and accountability
abstract: By applying critical dialogics to "surface the political" we interrogate the microfinance industry's disputed claims of promoting women's empowerment in developing countries. We counterpose two competing ideological framings: the currently dominant neoliberal discourse of "microfinance minimalism" and a counter hegemonic discourse articulated in gender and development studies. By examining the chains of signification and key signifiers in each discourse, we specify the political frontier that separates them. We then use these contested perspectives to analyze how a microfinance NGO in Bangladesh operates, which shows how they are dominated by neoliberal discourse that precludes more enabling alternatives. Drawing on our critical dialogic analysis, we consider possibilities for change and their implications for accounting and accountability systems. In so doing, we contribute to an emergent body of accounting literature drawing on critical dialogics to critique neoliberal ideas, values and practices and to propose alternative critical accounting and accountability systems consistent with a dialogic approach.

title: Women Empowerment Through Microfinance in India: An Analysis
abstract: Across the world and especially among the developing nations, there is a general consensus that Microfinance and microcredit have the potential to alleviate poverty and is linked to socio economic empowerment of its beneficiaries. Several studies have shown that access to microfinance contributes to poverty reduction both at the rural and urban level and it also contributes to the empowerment of its women participants. However this potential of microfinance is also writ with a lot of challenges.

title: Microfinance: An Emerging Tool for Women's Economic Empowerment
abstract: This chapter aims to provide a review of women's empowerment indicator in Arab countries. It estimates the determinants of women's economic empowerment in Arab countries to conclude some insights related to the effect of access to finance on empowering women. Moreover, the chapter aims to assess MFIs performance in supporting women's empowerment, based on actual data during the period 2008 2016 for selected Arab countries. Results show that women access to finance indicator is not sufficient to give clear evaluation for the role of MFIs in Arab Countries in empowering women. This issue requires many efforts from various parties from micro to macro players in the economy. In addition, the analysis of percentage of female borrowers and their share of gross loan portfolio concludes that performance in terms of empowering women through MFIs seems to be effective for some Arab countries while poor for others.

title: Indonesian Women and Islamic Economy: A Case Study of Islamic Microfinance and Women's Empowerment in Yogyakarta
abstract: Baitul Maal wat Tamwil (BMT) a model of Islamic microfinance institution (IMFI) has emerged in Indonesia in the last two decades. Although BMTs were not initially created for women, they have embraced women as their primary beneficiaries. The main objective of this study is to examine the link between BMTs and women's empowerment. More specifically, this study aims to address three main problems. First, to observe the origins of BMTs and their affiliation, it investigates their institutional missions and their ties with women's empowerment agendas. Second, it analyzes the particular patterns with which BMTs' empower women clients. Third, to investigate the effects of BMTs' services on women. Employing a qualitative approach, this study explores four BMTs operating in Yogyakarta Special Region, Indonesia. Data were collected through semi structured interviews, focus group discussions, document review, and field observations. Participants included BMT managers, founders, and staffs, as well as women clients and experts. This study has three main findings. First, although the majority of BMTs in Yogyakarta predominantly deal with women, from a historical perspective, there is no indication that the BMT movement in this region is related to a women's empowerment agenda. Moreover, none of the BMT institutions in this research specify women in their goals, objectives, or operations. Targeting of women as primary beneficiaries is merely intended for financial sustainability and not gender concerns. BMTs consider women to be 'a rational economic segment' who can enhance the efficiency of programs and contribute to organizational sustainability. Observing the four selected BMTs, it is found that the service orientation and character of each BMT is significantly affected by its primary affiliation. BMTs that are allied with Islamic mass organization are inclined to accentuate Islamic symbols, while BMTs that work with the government and/or international donors use such symbols less regularly. Second, this thesis demonstrates that women's empowerment in BMTs follows various models, dealing with socio economic, religious, and environmental issues. For socio economic empowerment, BMTs employ individual and collective empowerment. Individual empowerment, called jemput bola, is widely used by BMTs as their main means of maintaining personal relationships and member loyalty, as well as to oppose the conventional banking sector. This scheme requires BMTs to arrange rigorous meetings between clients and BMT officers. Meanwhile, collective empowerment is generally facilitated through the creation of independent groups of women based on proximity of residency. BMTs also use religious activities as instruments to deliver their mission of da'wah, to attract new members, and to monitor members' business performance. Supported by its international NGO's partners, one BMT institution has pioneered ecological projects that are integrated at the strategic level into its organizational mission and goals. Third, according to clients, the effects of BMT projects on their family and personal lives are mostly positive. Respondents reported that access to BMTs' programs andservices have fostered socio economic and psychological benefits for women.Economically, positive outcomes have emerged from increased income, savings,and ownership as a consequence of business growth. Meanwhile, access to credit has given women social advantages, such as increased social mobility. Involvement in BMT programs has expanded women's ability to travel to places outside the province. In addition, women's participation in BMT projects has also had positive psychological contributions. Most respondents reported having more self esteem and dignity as a result of their economic growth. The involvement of women inBMTs' religious programs also improves their religious knowledge and practice.Nevertheless, this study also demonstrates that BMTs may have a negative effect on women; one of the most apparent harmful effects of women's engagement in BMTs is their continuing dependence on loans. The importance of this study lies in several points: 1) It contributes a new understanding of the intersection between microcredit, women's empowerment, religious and cultural problems in a Muslim majority society. 2) There has been lack of research into the connection between the Islamic microfinance movement and women's issues in a historical and political context; this study helps fill such gaps by expanding the interdisciplinary scope of Islamic microfinance in an Indonesian setting. 3) The findings of this study enrich discussions and debates on Islamic financing and women's empowerment. This work provides the insight that women's empowerment is a universal concept that is applicable to Muslim majority societies. 4) There has been a dearth of qualitative study studies on BMTs in Indonesia; this study addresses this gap by undertaking a qualitative approach. Future researchers could extend the research findings and reflections of this research and continue discussion of how to develop and integrate the aspects of gender, Islamic values, and microfinance. While this study has investigated the effects of BMT programs on women's lives, particularly in a Javanese setting, future researchers could expand this to the broader location and include the perspectives of spouses and other family members.

title: Role of Microfinance in Women Empowerment: A Comparative Study of Rural and Urban Groups In Kancheepuram District
abstract: In India, the emergence of liberalization and globalization in early 1990's aggravated the problem of women workers in unorganized sectors from bad to worse as most of the women who were engaged in various self employment activities have lost their livelihood. Microfinance is emerging as a powerful instrument for poverty alleviation in the new economy. In India, Microfinance scene is dominated by Self Help Group, Commercial Bank Linkage Programme as an effective mechanism for providing financial services to the "Un reached Poor" This has been successful not only in meeting financial needs of the rural poor women but also strengthen collective self help capacities of the poor women, leading to their empowerment. Women empowerment is vital for decision making on economic issues for the family as a whole. In reality, there is prevalence of unequal gender norms among the women in India in urban and rural area. The objective of the study is analyse the role of microfinance and compare the empowerment of women in urban and rural setting in Kancheepuram district.