Microfinance Participation and Women's Empowerment: Evidence from a Nationally Representative Sample of Women in Bangladesh

ABSTRACT

More than 30 million married women in Bangladesh access microfinance, an empowering anti-poverty tool, amidst mixed responses from scholars about microfinance's empowering effect. The present study evaluates whether microfinance participation empowers women using a culturally suitable conceptualization of empowerment constituting autonomy, decision-making power in the household, and justification of partner violence. This study utilizes data from a representative probability sub-sample of 6,150 married women aged between 15 and 49 years from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2011 to assess the difference in empowerment between microfinance participants and a control group using propensity score matching techniques. Findings revealed that women who participated in microfinance were not statistically different at the 0.05 level from women who did not participate in microfinance in terms of empowerment when groups were matched on socio-demographic variables ensuring that treatment and comparison groups had equal propensity to participate in microfinance, casting doubt on the assertion that microfinance participation positively affects women's empowerment. Future research needs to focus on what empowerment may mean in relation to the outside world; we need to move beyond a familial understanding of empowerment to examine the individual in terms of her individual identity in the socio-political world in which she resides.     

Participation in Income-Generating Activities and Help-Seeking for IPV in Bangladesh – Results from a National Survey of Women

Abstract

The present study examined whether there was an association between microfinance participation (i.e. microentrepreneurship) and help-seeking social networks and employment and help-seeking social networks of women who experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) in Bangladesh. The study is a secondary analysis of a subsample of 805 women (24.1% of the representative sample) who experienced IPV from the 2007 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) between the ages of 16 and 49?years. Results indicate that among the subsample of 805 respondents, 29.3% sought help for IPV. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that women who were employed all year round were significantly more likely and microfinance participants were marginally more to seek help for IPV than women who were not engaged in income-generating activities. Implications are discussed.     

Microfinance Participation and Women's Decision-Making Power in the Household in Bangladesh

ABSTRACT

This study draws from bargaining theory to examine whether microfinance, a range of financial instruments such as micro-loans to support micro-enterprises, affects women's participation in household decision-making operationalized by whether women play a role in household decisions about large purchases, small purchases, going out to meet friends and family, and health care among a nationally representative sample of 6,150 women between the ages of 15 and 49 years in Bangladesh. Bargaining theory suggests that decision-making in households is conflictual but conflict can be mitigated through bargaining. Central to bargaining power of women is control over resources, assuming that household decision-making involves making economic decisions. Logistic regression analysis was used to test the interaction effect of microfinance and control over resources on decision-making power in the household utilizing the nationally representative Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2011. Results revealed that microfinance participants with control over resources reported higher odds of decision-making power (OR = 4.3, p < 0.05) when compared to microfinance participants without control over resources (OR = 1.22, p < 0.05) but less than women who did not participate in microfinance but had control over resources (OR = 5.2; p < 0.05). In conclusion, control over resources play an important role in bargaining that increases odds of having decision-making power in the household, even for women who do not participate in microfinance. The study findings contribute to both social work practice and research on low-income populations as it allows an understanding of the importance financial access and financial know-how while it sheds light on how precarious women's lives can be as they navigate income-generating financial systems that interfere with gender norms, which may have negative consequences. These findings are particularly important for practitioners working in the area of women's empowerment who would do well to emphasize the need for building financial capability so that women are able to garner control over their own and familial resources, whether or not they participate in empowerment programs like microfinance, which in turn gives women voice and agency. Meanwhile, future researchers are well positioned to examine the kinds of specific skills that best predict increases in women's decision-making power in the household as well how gender dynamics play into the decision-making process.     

Women’s microfinance participation and HIV literacy in Bangladesh: results from a nationally representative study

ABSTRACT

This study evaluated the association between microfinance participation and HIV literacy within a nationally representative sample of 3,614 married women aged 15–49 years from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey, 2011. Using logistic regression, we assessed the relationship between microfinance participation and HIV literacy. Controlling for demographic factors such as wealth, age, and education, we found that microfinance participants were 30% more likely to be HIV literate, in comparison with women who did not participate in microfinance. These results suggest that microfinance is a cost-effective way to enhance HIV literacy for poor, less educated women in rural areas of Bangladesh.     

Women’s participation in microfinance: Does it increase their control over resources?

This study drew on asset theory to explore the influence of microfinance participation on control over resources among women in Bangladesh. The association between microfinance participation and control over resources among women in Bangladesh was examined. Prevalence ratios were estimated for a sample of 9,614 women between the ages of 15 and 49 years drawn from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Surveys of 2007, 2011, and 2014, controlling for potential confounders, including urban dwelling, the presence of wealth assets, exposure to media, the number of household members, gender of household head, religion, and demographic factors. The results showed that control over resources was positively associated with microfinance participation (PR = 1.03; p < 0.05), upholding asset theory’s prediction that asset accumulation—in this case via microfinance—enhances human capital.     

Evolution of victimization,tolerance and detection of intimate partner violence among young Spanish women / Evolución de victimización,tolerancia y detección de la violencia de pareja entre mujeres jóvenes españolas

Intimate partner violence that takes place in first couple relationships has received increasing attention in recent years, leading our knowledge on different topics to grow remarkably. The objective of this study is two-fold: on the one hand, we compare levels of victimization and tolerance for two samples, from two waves of assessment; and on the other hand, we focus on coherence among victimization and the use of labels such as abuse, fear and feeling trapped in the relationship in both waves. A total sample of 3,844 women between the ages of 16 and 21 took part in the study, 18% in the first wave in 2003–05 and 82% in the second wave in 2011–13. Data were collected using the Cuestionario de Violencia de Novios (CUVINO), a questionnaire that provides information on the prevalence of and tolerance towards eight different kinds of abuse, along with self-labelling questions on the perception of abuse. Results showed a similarity in prevalence and labelling in both waves of assessment, with higher tolerance in the second wave. We discuss the implications of these findings for improving current prevention programs on dating violence.     

Risk Analysis of Chemical, Biological, or Radionuclear Threats: Implications for Food Security

If the food sector is attacked, the likely agents will be chemical, biological, or radionuclear (CBRN). We compiled a database of international terrorist/criminal activity involving such agents. Based on these data, we calculate the likelihood of a catastrophic event using extreme value methods. At the present, the probability of an event leading to 5,000 casualties (fatalities and injuries) is between 0.1 and 0.3. However, pronounced, nonstationary patterns within our data suggest that the "reoccurrence period" for such attacks is decreasing every year. Similarly, disturbing trends are evident in a broader data set, which is nonspecific as to the methods or means of attack. While at the present the likelihood of CBRN events is quite low, given an attack, the probability that it involves CBRN agents increases with the number of casualties. This is consistent with evidence of "heavy tails" in the distribution of casualties arising from CBRN events.