Karnatakas Women Empowerment Programmes

Women are amongst the most vulnerable segments of society across religions, communities, castes, linguistic groups, etc. However, women who are financially independent and thus empowered, have become upwardly mobile and empirical evidence supports this statement. The corollary is that if women are financially empowered, they can become upwardly mobile thus rendering it difficult for vested interests to exploit them. This is also an easier way of empowering women since the government at the state level or at the federal level need not involve itself actively in the exercise given that intermediaries like formal financial institutions like banks and MFIs, NGOs and local self-governments are better suited to take up this exercise. All that the state or federal government has to do is to set aside a nominal sum for the purpose (since banks finance the women borrowers) and supplement the efforts of the intermediaries in terms of infrastructure, regulatory machinery, etc. Hence the researcher sought to ascertain how the three major stakeholders associated with women empowerment programmes, namely, bank officers, MFIs and consultants, viewed the said programmes. In the process, the researcher was also able to identify the demerits of the said programmes fromtheir perspective. The researcher concludes that the stakeholders do not necessarily view the programmes as instruments that can help women become stronger and more confident, especially in controlling their lives and claiming their rights. Such programmes should also instil entrepreneurial flair and innovative spirit in the women beneficiaries by giving them a sense of empowerment. Intermediation cannot be fully done away with, in the implementation of these programmes giventhe localized and sedimented character of the business these beneficiaries are generally into. However, state-of-the-art technology can be exploited by banks in particular to minimise intermediation and improve the comfort level of existing as well as prospective beneficiaries. Since the financial inclusion of women is yet to gather steam in the country, banks would do well to prescribe the kind of repayment schedule the beneficiaries are comfortable with. As they go along, banks can redefine the repayment schedule in line with what they prescribe for mainstream borrowers. After all, these beneficiaries are new to institutional finance and are yet to understand fully the nitty-gritty details of the programmes. Last but not least, banks will do well not to underfinance the projects since it could drive back the beneficiaries to borrow from the local loan sharks. corollary, empirical evidence, financial inclusion, nitty-gritty, upwardly mobile