Abstract:
The research was carried out to investigate the impact of microfinance services
on women's economic and social empowerment in the Thunukkai Divisional
Secretariat at Mullaitivu District, Sri Lanka. A four-stage random sampling
technique was used to select 70 women microfinance beneficiaries from
Thunukkai Samurdi Bank. The results revealed that microfinance has a positive
impact on women's empowerment. Furthermore, microfinance positively
impacts women's economic empowerment even as micro-credit and non-
financial services contributed significantly to women's economic empowerment
while micro-saving and micro-insurance do not impact on economic
empowerment of women. Further, microfinance has a positive impact on
women's social empowerment, just as microcredit and micro saving
significantly contribute to women's social empowerment; however, micro
insurance and non-financial services do not significantly contribute to women's
social empowerment. The study recommends that microfinance could be
enriched women, which is the appropriate tool to empower women in Sri Lanka,
and research results could also support academics who want to assume more
research on microfinance and women's empowerment from the literature
arising from the study of excessive worth, as it will also enhance the significance
of the present literature. Furthermore, the findings of this study could serve as
a basis for future researchers and policymakers to take further steps to improve
microfinance, women's empowerment, and poverty relief in rural areas such as
Thunukkai.
