Abstract
Approximately 60% of the clients of micro-finance institutions throughout the world are women. Basically three
arguments are used to prioritize women's access to micro-finance services: one is poverty, second is increased
efficiency and sustainability and third is equality in empowerment. Empowerment is a process of change by which
individuals or groups gain power and ability to take control over their lives. It involves increased well being,
access to resources, self-confidence, self-esteem and respect, participation in decision-making and bargaining
power, and increased control over benefits and their own life. Micro-credit programmes tend to focus on
promoting changes at the individual level. However the scope of empowerment for individual women is usually
limited by inequalities and discrimination. It was concluded by keeping in view the previous studies that micro
credit schemes no doubt facilitate in empowering poor women and eradicates poverty but it also had some
negative impact on women's empowerment.
Key words: Women, empowerment, micro credit, impact
