Kabeer, Naila 
ORCID: 0000-0001-7769-9540
(2005)
Is microfinance a 'magic bullet' for women's empowerment?
Economic and Political Weekly, 40 (44/45).
pp. 4709-4718.
ISSN 0012-9976
Abstract
Opinions on the impact of microfinance have been divided between those who see it as a "magic bullet" for women's empowerment and others who are dismissive of its abilities as a cure-all panacea for development. This paper seeks to examine the empirical evidence on the impact of microfinance with respect to poverty reduction and empowerment of poor women. It becomes apparent that while access to financial services can and does make vital contributions to the economic productivity and social well-being of poor women and their households, it does not "automatically" empower women, just as with other interventions, such as education, political quotas, etc, that seek to bring about a radical structural transformation that true empowerment entails. These other interventions simply constitute different entry points into this larger project, each with the potential for social transformation, but each is contingent on context, commitment and capacity if this potential is to become a reality.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Official URL: | http://epw.in/epw/user/userindex.jsp |
| Additional Information: | © 2005 The Author |
| Divisions: | Gender Studies |
| Subjects: | H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Woman |
| Date Deposited: | 26 Sep 2013 08:24 |
| Last Modified: | 15 Sep 2023 13:14 |
| URI: | http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/53089 |
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