Role of Micro Enterprises in Women Empowerment: Evidence from a Field Study of „Kudumbashree‟ Units in Ernakulam District in Kerala

The role of micro enterprises in rural development and women empowerment is widely recognized the world over, particularly in developing nations like India. Micro enterprises play a vital role in poverty alleviation and socio-economic development of the poor, and help to bring about equitable and balanced economic development with relatively low amount of capital investment. This paper looks into the role of micro enterprises in women empowerment by taking the specific case of micro enterprises functioning under ‘Kudumbashree’ – the flagship poverty alleviation project sponsored by Government of Kerala.