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Title:	Impacts of microcredit programme on socio-economic status, empowerment and poverty alleviation amongst rural women: a case study of Panchagarh district in Bangladesh
Authors:	Ferdoushi Ahmed (P38181)
Supervisor:	Chamhuri Siwar, Emeritus Professor
Keywords:	Impacts of microcredit programme Socio-economic status Empowerment Poverty alleviation Rural women Panchagarh district Bangladesh Microfinance--Bangladesh--Panchagarh
Issue Date:	10-Aug-2011
Description:	This study aims to assess the impacts of microcredit programme on socio-economic status, women empowerment and poverty alleviation amongst rural women. The study is based on a case study among two groups, termed as ‘with credit’ and ‘without credit’ rural women in Panchagarh District of Bangladesh. The ‘with credit’ respondents are the rural women who have taken loan from the Grameen Bank (GB). The study employed econometric, statistical and non statistical techniques. By utilizing a logistic regression model, this study determined the influencing factors that contribute to the respondent’s total household income. The results show a strong positive effect of demographic and socio-economic variables and the household incomes. The study found that majority of the ‘with credit’ respondents showed higher percentage of education (schooling 34.5%, secondary 26.5% and higher secondary certificates 9.5%) and contributed much higher percentage (19%) of their incomes to the family. The study also found that “with credit’ rural women are more aware about the current knowledge of social, environmental and political matters. The empowerment index reveals that majority (84%) of the ‘with credit’ respondents have a higher empowerment in terms of family decision making (76%). The study also assessed the vulnerability status of the respondents by employing vulnerability index. The ‘with credit’ rural women show much lesser vulnerability than ‘without credit’ in terms of religion constraints, health, illiteracy, early marriage and natural calamities. The study also found that income inequality of ‘without credit’ households are slightly higher compare to ‘with credit’ households. The study also measured the incidence, intensity and severity of poverty among the ‘with credit’ and ‘without credit’ respondent’s household. The results show that the ‘without credit’ respondents have a higher percentage of poverty in terms of its incidence (99%), intensity 59% and severity (37%). It is also found that the probability of household’s poverty decreases while the respondent’s educational level increases with microcredit. The economic and social status index was used to assess poverty alleviation and livelihood wellbeing. The study shows that participation in GB’s microcredit programme has substantially improved ‘with credit’ respondent’s livelihood wellbeing by improving their economic and social status. The study recommends that government and nongovernment organizations need to increase women’s income generation activities through extensive women participation in credit programme, skill development training, interest rate rebate, satisfactory loan amount and flexible repayment system. Finally, the findings of this study might be helpful to the microfinance institutions (MFIs) in the implementation of a more effective microcredit programme for alleviating poverty, raising awareness and empowerment as well as improving livelihoods of rural women in Bangladesh.,PhD
Pages:	266
Call Number:	HG178.33.B3 .A376 2011
Publisher:	UKM, Bangi
Appears in Collections:	Institute for Environment and Development / Institut Alam Sekitar dan Pembangunan (LESTARI)

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