How Far is Microfinance Relevant for Empowering Rural Women? An Empirical Investigation.

Empowerment has been treated as one of the influential poverty alleviation strategies of the day. Various microfinance institutions have emerged with the objective to enhance empowerment, especially for women through different assistance programs. This study attempts to explore the impact of microfinance institutions towards the economic, social, and psychological empowerment of women borrowers using primary data collected through a structured questionnaire from the backward districts of West Bengal, India. In addition, the study also tries to identify the important determinants of empowerment among such borrowers. Applying t-test, logistic, and ordered logistic regression it has been observed that Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) have a significant role towards betterment in the standard of living and empowerment of such women borrowers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]