Skapar mikrokrediter en bättre tillvaro?
En fallstudie av Grameen Bank i Bangladesh
Poverty reductionDevelopmentMicrocreditMuhammad YunusGrameen BankBangladeshWomenSocial lifeWorking life
In course of time the role of the individual being has become increasingly important in the fight against poverty. Through its microcredit programmes, the organization Grameen Bank offers ?aid to self-help? to poor women on the countryside in Bangladesh. The purpose of this essay is to investigate how participation in Grameen?s microcredit programmes can affect these women?s social situation and working situation. In order to achieve the purpose the following questions have been formulated: How does microcredit affect women?s self-esteem, influence in the household, and exposure to domestic violence? How does microcredit affect women?s occupational situation, to what extent do they have control over their loans, and how is microcredit regarded in comparison with permanent jobs, as a way to reduce poverty?The research, which has been carried out as a qualitative text analysis, shows that Grameen plays an important role when it comes to improving women?s living conditions. The access to microcredit helps women increasing their working activity as well as their self-esteem and influence in the household. However, microcredit does not merely create positive consequences. There are cases where microcredit increases the risk of domestic violence. Often the loans are transferred within the household, and then controlled by men. In addition, women?s use of microcredit is still confined to activities traditionally performed by women. These factors are important to consider when evaluating Grameen?s programmes, since they counteract Grameen?s vision of creating development for women.