FINANCIAL INCLUSION AND GENDER BARRIERS FOR RURAL WOMEN

This paper tries to examine the gendered nature of barriers faced by rural women which intersects financial inclusion worldwide. Although financial inclusion for rural women has been linked with poverty eradication and economic empowerment, the delivery of financial products and services to rural women has been at a disadvantageous position. Some of the barriers women experience in accessing financial resources are embedded in the patriarchal bias of the society. Gender related barriers are those barriers that are specific to women which arise due to discrimination and societal norms. Gender related barriers that inhibit women's ability to access to financial services and block women empowerment should be considered carefully while preparing these programs. A feminist analysis was done to understand the causes of gender related barriers and measures adopted worldwide to devise innovative strategies. Gender-transformative approaches to financial inclusion go beyond focussing on access to financial services to challenging the existing gender inequalities that impede women's financial inclusion and economic empowerment.