Microfinance and Women's Empowerment
Generally women have been looked upon either as victims of social practices or target for development but not as participants in development. Therefore, both national and international development agencies now give focus to the women. There is a growing acceptance now that women have to be considered as equal participants rather than dependents in a welfare state.
In the last decade, a few government programs exclusively for women like Development of Women and Children in Rural Area (DWCRA) have been implemented. But several shortcomings are apparent right from the stage of identification of the beneficiaries to the selection of activities and their feasibility, to the level of implementing agency, to the financing institutions. In the process, the beneficiaries were not adequately reached. Now, “Inclusiveness” has gained importance in the process of growth and development as well since inclusive is not inclusive enough in the implementation of various pro poor programmes.
Recently the World Bank has made it clear that giving attention to gender perspectives in economics decision making simply makes good economic sense. Existing gender inequalities can, for examples, undermine the effectiveness of trade policies or policies on foreign direct investment by affecting the factors that are critical to the successful implementation of these policies. Because of existing inequalities, women may, for example, face difficulties in responding to incentives and opportunities.
Get it now and save 10%
BECOME A MEMBER
Bibliographic information
V. Rengarajan