Does Microcredit Promote Gender Empowerment and Equality? A Brief Review with Modest Policy Proposals

Abstract

I briefly review key findings within the vast and extensive literature on microcredit and its efficacy as a means to gender empowerment and gender equality for poor women in the global South. I argue that the evidence suggests that it is ultimately empowering and has benefited many despite its being deeply problematic for many others. I conclude with some modest policy proposals that relate back to the problematic aspects but is also intended to complement the beneficial impacts; that is, the introduction and/or proliferation of micro-legal agencies, micro-security firms and micro-Special Interest Groups/lobbying firms.