Abstract
SDGs emphasize gender equality to achieve sustainable and inclusive development. 8FYP of Bangladesh is about to expire, yet most rural women are completely dependent on men socially and economically; microcredit can be a strong instrument to reduce this dependency. This study explores the impacts of microcredit on women's empowerment in rural Bangladesh by comparing microcredit borrower and non-borrower women. A mixed-method study is used with 250 respondents. Among them, 200 respondents (100 borrowers and 100 non-borrowers) participated in a questionnaire survey, while the remaining 50 respondents were interviewed face-to-face. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire following a stratified random sampling technique. The findings reveal that borrower women are significantly ahead in several aspects, such as household decision-making, purchasing essential items, contributing to children’s education expenses, and self-confidence. Statistical analysis highlights an important relationship between microcredit participation and women’s empowerment, with a significant difference between borrowers and non-borrowers (χ² = 63.02, p < 0.001). The study recommends that proper utilization of microcredit, proper training, and monitoring by NGOs can contribute to the advancement of marginalized women.
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