Microfinance and Its Contribution towards Women Empowerment: A case-study on Pakistan

Abstract

This paper explores the fact that how microfinance has contributed in the well-being and empowerment of women. AHP and factor analysis is used to screen out variables and then further their indexes are formulated. Then linear regression is applied. This study reveals the fact that microfinance has contributed to the well-being as well as empowerment of women. After participating in Microfinance program, now women are more involved in major household purchases, their ability to make small purchases increases, their increased participation in child related decisions like their education, their marriages etc., they are more respected by their husbands as they have started serving as an input in the overall household income, their tensions have been decreased and their survival have become easier leading to the well-being of the household. The physical mobility of women and the managerial control over the loan that are on the women’s name have also been increases.

Keywords- Microfinance, Microfinance Institutions, Empowerment, Mobility, Managerial Control