Prabandhan: Indian Journal of Management

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Does Microfinance Empower Women from Economic, Social, and Political Perspectives ? : Empirical Evidence from Rural Gujarat


Affiliations
1 Assistant Professor, Institute of Management, Nirma University, Gota, Ahmedabad - 382 481, Gujarat, India
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


The objective of this study was to assess the impact of microfinance on rural women with respect to social, economic, and political empowerment. The study was carried out on 512 respondents belonging from Aravalli and Mehsana districts of North Gujarat. The districts and talukas were selected based on the highest and lowest rural women population. The villages were selected based on the highest rural women population. The study was conducted using the paired sample t-test. The study found that after joining the SHGs, the women were empowered significantly from the economic perspective ; they were somewhat empowered from the social perspective because on some of the criteria, the women were already empowered before joining the SHGs ; and the women were not empowered much on the political grounds after joining the SHGs. However, overall, the women were empowered after joining the SHGs.

Keywords

Microfinance, Rural, Women Empowerment, Socioeconomic, Gujarat.

JEL Codes : C12, D63, G21.

Paper Submission Date : August 20, 2020; Paper Sent Back for Revision : December 29, 2020; Paper Acceptance Date : February 10, 2021; Paper Published Online : March 15, 2021.

User
Subscription Login to verify subscription
Notifications
Font Size

  • Al-Shami, S. S., Razali, M. M., Majid, I., Rozelan, A., & Rashid, N. (2016). The effect of microfinance on women’s empowerment: Evidence from Malaysia. Asian Journal of Women's Studies, 22(3), 318–337. https://doi.org/10.1080/12259276.2016.1205378

  • Barman, D., Mathur, H. P., & Kalra, V. (2009). Role of microfinance interventions in financial inclusion : A comparative study of microfinance models. Vision : The Journal of Business Perspectives, 13(3), 51–59. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F097226290901300305

  • Bartlett II, J. E., Kotrlik, J. W., & Higgins, C. C. (2001). Organizational research: Determining appropriate sample size in survey research. Information Technology, Learning, and Performance Journal, 19(1), 43–50.

  • Bhatt, N., Patel, R., & Kaur, A. (2020). A study of ICT adoption and its impact on selected MFIs of Gujarat. Indian Journal of Finance, 14(2), 7–20. https://doi.org/10.17010/ijf/2020/v14i2/150553

  • Cronbach, L. J. (1951). Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests. Psychometrika, 16(3), 297–334.

  • Ganle, J. K., Afriyie, K., & Segbefia, A. Y. (2015). Microcredit : Empowerment and disempowerment of rural women in Ghana. World Development, 66, 335–345. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2014.08.027

  • Ghosh, R., Chakravarti, P., & Mansi, K. (2015). Women's empowerment and education : Panchayats & women's selfhelp groups in India. Policy Futures in Education, 13(3), 294–314.

  • Habib, M., & Jubb, C. (2012). Role of microfinance in political empowerment of women : Bangladesh experience. OIDA International Journal of Sustainable Development, 5(5), 99–110.

  • Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., Anderson, R. E., & Tatham, R. L. (1998). Multivariate data analysis. Prentice Hall.

  • Hashemi, S. M., Schuler, S. R., & Riley, A. P. (1996). Rural credit programs and women's empowerment in Bangladesh. World Development, 24(4), 635–653. https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-750X(95)00159-A

  • Hoque, S. (2005). Micro-credit and empowerment of women: Evidence from Bangladesh. The Asian Economic Review, 47(3), 411–420.

  • Hunt, J., & Kasynathan, N. (2001). Pathways to empowerment ? Reflections on microfinance and transformation in gender relations in South Asia. Gender & Development, 9(1), 42–52. https://doi.org/10.1080/13552070127738

  • Kim, J.C., Watts, C.H., Hargreaves, J. R., Ndhlovu, L.X., Phetla, G., Morison, L. A., Busza, J., Porter, J. D., & Pronyk, P. (2007). Understanding the impact of a microfinance-based intervention on women’s empowerment and the reduction of intimate partner violence in South Africa. American Journal of Public Health, 97(10), 1794–1802.

  • Kothari, C. R. (2004). Research methodology : Methods and techniques. New Age International (P) Ltd.

  • Kumar, S. S. (2013). Access, use and repayment of micro-credit in Kerala - An analysis. Journal of Rural Development, 32(3), 263–280.

  • Laha, A., & Kuri, P. K. (2014). Measuring the impact of microfinance on women empowerment : A cross country analysis with special reference to India. International Journal of Public Administration, 37(7), 397–408. https://doi.org/10.1080/01900692.2013.858354

  • Moser, C. O. (1989). Gender planning in the Third World : Meeting practical and strategic gender needs. World Development, 17(11), 1799–1825. https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-750X(89)90201-5

  • Patel, R., & Patel, N. (2020). Impact of microfinance on women empowerment : A study from the decision - making perspective. Indian Journal of Finance, 14(8–9), 52–68. https://doi.org/10.17010/ijf/2020/v14i8 9/154948

  • Patel, R., Patel, M., & Patel, N. (2018a.). Impact of microfinance on poor women: Lessons from North Gujarat. Prabandhan: Indian Journal of Management, 11(2), 14–29. https://doi.org/10.17010/pijom/2018/v11i2/121393

  • Patel, R., Patel, M., & Patel, N. (2018b.). Impact of microfinance of women empowerment : A study of rural Gujarat. Indian Journal of Finance, 12(8), 22–35. https://doi.org/10.17010/ijf/2018/v12i8/130742

  • Qudrat - I Elahi, K. (2003). Microfinance, empowerment, and Sudra women in India. Development in Practice, 13(5), 570–572.

  • Rahman, M. M., Khanam, R., & Nghiem, S. (2017). The effects of microfinance on women’s empowerment : New evidence from Bangladesh. International Journal of Social Economics, 44(12), 1745–1757. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSE-02-2016-0070

  • Salia, S., Hussain, J., Tingbani, I., & Kolade, O. (2018). Is women empowerment a zero sum game ? Unintended consequences of microfinance for women’s empowerment in Ghana. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 24(1), 273–289. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEBR-04-2017-0114

  • Sharma, S., & Goyal, D. P. (2020). Entrepreneurial marketing strategies for small businesses : An exploratory study of start-up companies in India. Indian Journal of Marketing, 50(8–9), 48–65. https://doi.org/10.17010/ijom/2020/v50/i8-9/154691

  • Sinha, S. (1998). Micro-credit : Impact, targeting and sustainability. IDS Bulletin, 29(1), 34–42.

  • Ssendi, L., & Anderson, A. R. (2009). Tanzanian micro enterprises and micro finance : The role and impact for poor rural women. The Journal of Entrepreneurship, 18(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F097135570801800101

  • The Research Advisors. (2006). Sample size table. http://www.researchadvisors. com/tools/SampleSize.htm

  • UNDP. (1995). Human Development Report. Oxford University Press.

  • Watkins, T. A. (2018). Introduction to microfinance. World Scientific Publishing Company.


Abstract Views: 220

PDF Views: 0




  • Does Microfinance Empower Women from Economic, Social, and Political Perspectives ? : Empirical Evidence from Rural Gujarat

Abstract Views: 220  |  PDF Views: 0

Authors

Ritesh Patel
Assistant Professor, Institute of Management, Nirma University, Gota, Ahmedabad - 382 481, Gujarat, India
Nikunj Patel
Assistant Professor, Institute of Management, Nirma University, Gota, Ahmedabad - 382 481, Gujarat, India

Abstract


The objective of this study was to assess the impact of microfinance on rural women with respect to social, economic, and political empowerment. The study was carried out on 512 respondents belonging from Aravalli and Mehsana districts of North Gujarat. The districts and talukas were selected based on the highest and lowest rural women population. The villages were selected based on the highest rural women population. The study was conducted using the paired sample t-test. The study found that after joining the SHGs, the women were empowered significantly from the economic perspective ; they were somewhat empowered from the social perspective because on some of the criteria, the women were already empowered before joining the SHGs ; and the women were not empowered much on the political grounds after joining the SHGs. However, overall, the women were empowered after joining the SHGs.

Keywords


Microfinance, Rural, Women Empowerment, Socioeconomic, Gujarat.

JEL Codes : C12, D63, G21.

Paper Submission Date : August 20, 2020; Paper Sent Back for Revision : December 29, 2020; Paper Acceptance Date : February 10, 2021; Paper Published Online : March 15, 2021.


References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.17010/pijom%2F2021%2Fv14i3%2F158154