Impact of Micro Finance on Women Empowerment in Chittagong

Abstract

In spite of some bottlenecks, Microfinance, a proven tool for empowering poor women by mitigating their extreme poverty to uplift them from vulnerable condition to some extent a better living atmosphere, has brought great changes in the women's living standard, has created an individual identity for the moderate poor women in the society and has given a freedom to live the life according to their choice. In this context this study makes a modest attempt to explore on the much debated question of the role of microfinance as a financial instrument for enhancing women empowerment through eradicating all financial and social obstacles. As a part of the study a primary field survey has been carried out to get a real picture in the rural area of the Chittagong district. From the analyzed data the present study acknowledge that despite of bottlenecks, microfinance is capable of graduating struggling poor from their shackles and helps to upscale them to a better living and playing significantly positive role in upgrading women empowerment.