Empowerment or Entrapment? A Critical Analysis of Women’s Access to Microfinance

This thesis critically examines the effects of microfinance on women’s empowerment, exploring how access to credit can both enhance agency and reinforce dependency. Using qualitative research and theoretical frameworks such as Dependency Theory and the Capability Approach, the study investigates household power dynamics, debt burdens, unpaid labor, and vulnerability to gender-based challenges. The findings highlight the conditions under which microfinance programs promote genuine empowerment versus when they inadvertently contribute to exploitation, offering insights for policymakers and practitioners seeking more equitable financial inclusion strategies.

• Supervision