Microfinance programmes and women's empowerment in rural Thailand : ideology versus practice | |
| Author | Dias, Cecile Moura |
| Call Number | AIT RSPR no.SM-03-83 |
| Subject(s) | Microfinance--Thailand Rural women--Thailand |
| Note | A research study submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Business Administration, School of Management |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Research studies project report ; no. SM-03-83 |
| Abstract | The different Tambon Administration Organizations (TA Os) of Ban Mo District in Saraburi Province (Thailand) keep on supporting new group-based projects by granting loans with low credit rates. Women show an active participation and creativity in these groups. They are even the chairpersons of many of them. The purpose of this study is to examine in what extent women are beneficiating from these microfinance programmes in terms of empowe1ment. The findings from this study are that small loans do improve poor rural women's participation in the community life. Actually, the creation of new economic activities supported by the loans granted by the TAOs and other organizations enable women to participate in public affairs and to get involved in the local market, for example. This fosters women's capacity building and active participation in decision-making. Further, gender relations within the household and in the community are transformed, due to their participation in economic activities that help them improving their support to the family. However, granting loans to poor women's seems to be insufficient since they still have to face difficulties related either to their lack of skills (this prevent them to conduct their activities with full success and decreases their credibility towards the community) or to their status within the community (old behavior patterns). Actually, loans under women's names do not necessarily mean that the utilization of the money is under their control. Moreover, the group-based approach may also be a source of violence within the community. This shows how the ideology of the implementing organizations may be m contradiction with the reality of the practices. |
| Year | 2003 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Research studies project report ; no. SM-03-83 |
| Type | Research Study Project Report (RSPR) |
| School | School of Management (SOM) |
| Department | Other Field of Studies (No Department) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Master of Business Administration (MBA) (Publication code=SM) |
| Chairperson(s) | Do Ba Khang; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Park, Jin-Sung;Zimmermann, Willi; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | ESCP-EAP;Asian Institute of Technology |
| Degree | Research report (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2003 |