Section Article

Microfinance and Women’s Empowerment: Evaluating Socio- Economic Outcomes
Author(s): Mukul Gupta

Abstract
Microfinance has emerged as a pivotal tool in development economics aiming to improve financial access for the underserved particularly women in rural and semi-urban areas. This research examines the effectiveness of microfinance in promoting women’s empowerment considering its socio-economic outcomes across various contexts with a specific emphasis on India and other South Asian countries. The paper delves into the mechanisms through which microfinance affects income generation decision-making power education health and social status. While recognizing notable improvements in many women’s lives the paper also highlights concerns such as debt dependency group liability pressures and the limitations of financial inclusion when unaccompanied by structural reforms. The research concludes with a nuanced understanding of microfinance’s role as a partial but significant contributor to women’s empowerment and recommends a more integrated context-sensitive approach to maximize its transformative potential.