Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/26989 
Year of Publication: 
2006
Series/Report no.: 
Center Discussion Paper No. 949
Publisher: 
Yale University, Economic Growth Center, New Haven, CT
Abstract: 
Female empowerment” has increasingly become a policy goal, both as an end to itself and as a means to achieving other development goals. Microfinance in particular has often been argued, but not without controversy, to be a tool for empowering women. Here, using a randomized controlled trial, we examine whether access to an individually-held commitment savings product leads to an increase in female decision-making power within the household. We find positive impacts, particularly for women who have below median decision-making power in the baseline, and we find this leads to a shift towards female-oriented durables goods purchased in the household.
Subjects: 
Savings
microfinance
female empowerment
household decision making
commitment
JEL: 
D12
D63
D91
J16
O12
O16
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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