Women and Microfinance in the Global South is a grounded exploration of the intersections of neoliberal ideology and feminism.

The first feminist critique of the much-lauded microcredit process in Bangladesh.

Using a case study of Bangladesh, and based on a long term participatory observation method, this book investigates claims of the success of microcredit, as well as the critiques of it, in the context of women’s empowerment. It confronts the distinction between women’s increasing wealth as a consequence of the success of microcredit programmes and their apparent non-commensurate empowerment, looking at two organisations (the Grameen Bank and the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee) as they operate in two localities in rural Bangladesh, in order to discover how enrichment and empowerment are often confused. The book goes on to establish that the well-publicised success stories of the microcredit programme are blown out of proportion, and that the dynamics of collective responsibility for repayment of loans by a group of women borrowers – usually seen to be a tool for the success of microcredit – is in fact no less repressive than traditional debt collectors. This book makes a contribution to development debates; challenging adherents to more closely specify those conditions under which microcredit does indeed have validity, as well as providing insights relevant to South Asian Studies and Development Studies.

Micro-credit has been taken as a prominent tool for poverty alleviation and women's empowerment. This book has presented the double-edged claim of microcredit proponents that microcredit not only supports rural poor to come out of poverty, it also empowers poor rural women in particular. This book is mainly grounded on research based on Bandipur Rural Municipality of Nepal. It has made the study of women from 3 settlements of Bandipur, who had availed microcredit facilities from some microcredit providing institutions or organizations in Bandipur. The data has been analyzed through qualitative data analysis under which both descriptive and explanatory methods. The data analysis is made on the basis of caste/ethnic group. The results showed that most of the females who availed the facility of microcredit finally got socioeconomic empowerment through acquiring the access to capital, control over resources, self-esteem, confidence level, decision making power, etc. Results are varied on Dalit, Janajati and Brahmin/Chhetri women. The findings showed that microcredit has significant impact on the upliftment of socio-economic empowerment of the borrowers of Bandipur. The income pattern of the respondent women has been changed. Daily wage earning and agricultural production were the main source of income before joining the program but after joining the microcredit program the sources of income shifted to small scale business, sale of livestock product and agricultural product. Entrepreneurship in microcredit beneficiary women has been increased. Apart from the changing income pattern, role of women in decision making about the resources mobilization for household activities, participation in societal affairs has also been increased. The economic dependency had restricted women in decision making power in all the spheres not only economical but also in other family and social affairs. But it has been changed now. Since, women are capable to generate regular income from their small enterprises; their dependency on male for money is reduced. Women's confidence and social status has increased after involvement in MC programs. Microcredit, though an effective poverty alleviating instrument, is not suitable for all categories of the poor. For those trapped in chronic poverty, no assets base to protect themselves from the countless webs of shocks, microcredit can be ineffective and sometimes counterproductive. Some cases of Dalit settlement have proved it.

This book discusses ideas for stakeholders to develop strategies to access and use financial products and services such as deposits, loans, and fund transfer mechanism, insurance, payment services, and intermediaries, distribution channels at economical prices in order to cater to the needs of the poor and underprivileged people. Financial inclusion ensures ease of access, availability, and usage of the financial products and services to all the sections of the society. The book will help in recognizing the role of financial inclusion as one of the main drivers in reducing income inequality and thus supporting sustainable economic growth of the countries, especially of an emerging economy. The book provides conceptual and practical ideas from the practitioners, best practices from the experts, and empirical views from the researchers on the best practices and how to mitigate the challenges and issues plaguing the development of the financial inclusion.

The attempt of the Grameen Bank to alleviate poverty and enhance the skills and productivity of its rural women clients provides the fascinating backdrop to this important study of micro-credit institutions. Tazul Islam examines the real extent to which the Grameen Bank's credit-alone policy has been successful in securing the Bank's financial sustainability; its practical role in alleviating poverty and its actual impact on the productivity of its clients. This book concludes by considering alternative policy options that hold out the possibility of increased poverty alleviation.

This book discusses women-oriented microfinance initiatives in India and their articulation vis-à-vis state developmentalism and contemporary neo-liberal capitalism. It examines how these initiatives encourage economically disadvantaged rural women to make claims upon state-provided microcredit and connect with multiple state institutions and agencies, thereby reshaping their gendered identities. The author shows how Self-Help Group (SHG)-based microfinance institutions mobilise agency and create channels of empowerment for women as well as make them responsible for alleviating poverty for themselves and their families. The book also brings out the importance of factoring in women’s dissenting voices when they negotiate developmental projects at the grassroots level. Rich in empirical data, this volume will be useful to scholars and researchers of development studies, gender studies, economics, especially microeconomics, politics, public policy and governance.

Contributed papers presented earlier in a conference.

In two volumes these books review and expand the theory that poverty in the world's poorest regions could be alleviated by providing small loans to micro-entrepreneurs. Volume 1 provides detailed analysis of this theory and offers policy recommendations for practitioners in this field. Volume 2 presents empirical evidence drawn from comparative experiences in seven developing countries. The work assesses the success of this policy and provides some startling conclusions. This is essential reading for all those interested in development, poverty-reduction, social welfare and finance.