MICROFINANCE AND WOMEN EMPOWERMENT: A CASE STUDY OF KHUSHALI BANK MICROFINANCE PAKISTAN

Abstract

The aim of this research is to examine the relationship between microfinance and women empowerment. In recent years, no notable work has been done on microfinance in relation to women empowerment. So we undertook this research using primary data. For the analysis of data, t-test, and chi-square tests has been used. We collect data from 60 respondents through interview and questionnaires. There were 30 creditor woman and 30 non creditor woman. The main creditor list was obtained from Khushali microfinance bank and first 30 women were selected for data collection. The result shows that microfinance has positive effects on a woman decision making abilities, her status in the eyes of her children and parents but it did not show that a creditor woman receives more respect from her husband. It also show that credit does not give a woman the f freedom to exercise family control measures. However, she (creditor) has good status among peers and has more social participation. The study recommends that credit taking conditions may be relaxed for increasing the scope of the financing.