Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Y PROPOSAL 3
Y PROPOSAL 3
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS
June, 2024
Fitche, Ethiopia
SALALE UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS
June, 2024
Fitche, Ethiopia
i
Acknowledgment
First and most, I would like to thank the Almighty God for helping me during my research
proposal from the beginning to the end. Next, I would like to express my deepest appreciation to
Salale University, College of Business and Economics, and Department of Economics for giving
me the chance to conduct this research.
I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to Dr. Dejene Niguse (Ph.D.) for his unreserved
constructive advice, support, continuous comments and suggestions throughout the entire work
to bring this research proposal mature.
Finally, I would like to thank my intimate friends who supported me regarding ideas and other
related issues.
ii
Abbreviations and Acronyms
ACSI Addis Credit and Saving Association
iii
List of Tables
Table 1 Work Plan for Assessing Effects of Microfinance on Womens Economic Empowerment
in Addis Ababa City Administration in the Case of Kirkos Sub City...........................................27
iv
List of Figures
Figure 1 Location of study area.................................................................................................................24
v
Table of Contents
Acknowledgment.......................................................................................................................................ii
Abbreviations and Acronyms..................................................................................................................iii
List of Tables.............................................................................................................................................iv
List of Figures............................................................................................................................................v
Summary.................................................................................................................................................viii
Chapter One...............................................................................................................................................1
1. Introduction.......................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Background of the Study.................................................................................................................1
1.2 Statement of the Problem................................................................................................................6
1.3 Research Questions..........................................................................................................................8
1.4 Objective of the study......................................................................................................................8
1.4.1 General Objective.....................................................................................................................8
1.4.2 Specific Objectives....................................................................................................................8
1.5 Significance of the Study.................................................................................................................8
Chapter Two............................................................................................................................................10
2. Review of related Literatures.............................................................................................................10
2.1 Theoretical Background................................................................................................................10
2.1.1 Microfinance...........................................................................................................................10
2.1.2 The idea of micro-finance institutions...................................................................................10
2.1.3 Microfinance in Ethiopia........................................................................................................11
2.1.4 ACSI in Addis Ababa Ethiopia..............................................................................................12
2.1.5 Theoretical framework of Microfinance...............................................................................12
2.1.6 Knowledge Gap.......................................................................................................................14
2.1.7 Operational modality..............................................................................................................14
2.1.8 The Concept of Empowerment..............................................................................................15
2.1.9 Targeting of women under microfinance..............................................................................16
2.1.10 Indictors of women’s economic empowerment conceptual frame work MFIs program. 17
2.2 Empirical Literature.....................................................................................................................17
2.2 .1 Microfinance Development and Women’s Participation in Ethiopia................................18
2.2.2 Gender Based Microfinance Delivery...................................................................................20
2.2.3 Microfinance and Women’s Empowerment.........................................................................21
2.3 Conceptual framework..................................................................................................................22
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2.3.1 Contribution of microfinance institutions for women..........................................................22
2.3.2 Gender equality and economic growth..................................................................................22
Chapter Three..........................................................................................................................................23
3. Research Methodology........................................................................................................................23
3.1 Description of Research area........................................................................................................23
3.1.1 Study area................................................................................................................................23
3.2 Study Design...................................................................................................................................24
3.3 Target population..........................................................................................................................24
3.4 Sample size Determination............................................................................................................25
3.5 Sampling Techniques.....................................................................................................................25
3.6 Data types and Sources.................................................................................................................26
3.7 Data collection Method..................................................................................................................26
3.7.1 Questionnaire..........................................................................................................................26
3.8 Model Specification.......................................................................................................................26
3.9 Work Plan......................................................................................................................................27
3.10 Budget Breakdown......................................................................................................................28
Reference..................................................................................................................................................29
Appendices...............................................................................................................................................32
Questionnaire.......................................................................................................................................32
vii
Summary
Methods: The study will be descriptive in nature and survey method of data collection will be
used to data gathering. Both primary and secondary sources of data will be used. Primary data
will be collected by using questionnaire. Secondary data will be collected from magazine,
journals and books. The study data will be analyzed and interpreted by using qualitative and
quantitative data analyzing method. The major finding of the study will be women economical
empowerment. Based on finding and analyzing data.
viii
Chapter One
1. Introduction
The first chapter gives a brief overview of background of the study, Statement of the problem. In
addition to presents Research question, Objectives of the study, Scope and limitation of the
study, Significance of the study, Hypothesis of the study and Organization of the paper.
The term empowerment, may many people are confused as to what it means, is the ability to
make impact generally in social, economic and political terms. Such as a strategic choice, which
requires increasing power, freedom of choice, option, and control in day-to-day activities. This
includes self-esteem, autonomy and develop self-confident throughout life and their economic
resources roll positively on their own and dependent’s well-being (meron haileselassie july
2007).
Microfinance movement has developed its links with the economic and social development in
many ways. It alleviates poverty by establishing relationships with clients, solving their financial
problems by easy and subsidized loans. Availability of such credit helps the poor in smoothening
their consumption pattern also it increases the household income level. Microfinance institutions
facilitate people to fight poverty by providing access to the social and human capita
Microfinance institutions have contributed in creating employment opportunities. Most of the
commercially successful microfinance institutions have created jobs for thousands of people.
(Roodman and Qureshi, 2006).
Microfinance institutions has made a significant contribution widely in the world as policy
option for empowering poor rural and urban women’s economy by intercontinental organization,
government and non-government organization due to the hope that through provision of
Microfinance institutions program, women can play a better contribution on economic
development of their families and community (dawit esatu 2016).
Microfinance emerged institutionally on a popular large scale in the 70s decade of the last
century, with Grameen Bank, which established in 1976 by Muhammad Yunus in Bangladesh.
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But historically, it exists as an informal financial service with small operations such as savings
and small credits since the 18th century. Kagan argued that the “first occurrence of micro lending
is attributed to the Irish Loan Fund system, introduced by Jonathan Swift, which sought to
improve conditions for impoverished Irish citizens” (2019).
Microfinance institutions differ from formal commercial institutions in many ways: First, from
the mission, the aim of microfinance institutions is not the profitability as much as the social-
based mission to support low income and unemployed populations, and also, in particular, most
vulnerable groups such as the women (Merra& Abafita& Ayalew) ,2019,
Second, the source of funds for microfinance institutions which usually come from international
development banks and Donors and NGOs (Abay & Koru& Abate& Berhane, 2019) Finally,
they differ also in the form of financial work methodologies and approaches for the financial
operations either credits/landings, insurance, or payments (Löscher, 2019). Among 1.3 billion
poor people of the world, the majority are women and children.
One of the main reason behind this is gender discrimination, which exists almost all over the
world. Women’s face discrimination in society and family in almost all economic, social, and
political affairs (Salia, Hussain, Tingbani, & Kolade, 2018) According to the World Bank
(2015), putting resources into women’s hands to attain gender equality in society will result in
significant development. Women’s have the God-gifted skill to be more accountable, committed,
and innovative.
So in this way, if they get financial support then they could serve their families well and could
contribute towards building a better future of the society (Malhotra, et. al., 2002). Microfinance
in Africa especially in rural sub–Saharan African can be practiced with the best approaches
towards women empowerment because it addresses the material (economic) and non-material
(social, political, psychological and cultural) empowerment. This is because the reason MFIs
program is important in Africa is that their economic performance has been closely associated
with their low saving and investment, in fact relatively slow economic growth has been linked to
its poor capital accumulation (I. Hussain and J. Underwood, 1990s).
2
Historic Evolution “MFIs are a 1990s phenomenon in Ethiopia. The Microfinance proclamation
in 1996 marked the start of deposit taking MFIs in Ethiopia. However, the introduction
microfinance service in Ethiopia was started at a pilot in 1994, when Tigray region attempted to
rebuild drought area and war-suffered society in rural credit system. It was credit distributed by
other countries’ experiences and adaptation similar to the conditions of the Tigray region. In the
second half of the 1990s, as a result of its success, the microfinance service was gradually scaled
up in other regions (Berhanu & Thomas, 2000). However, Ethiopian microfinance sector is one
of the fastest growing in the country, it has recently progressed from humanitarian orientation to
combining outreach and viability missions (Ayele, 2015, p.119).
Microfinance in Ethiopia has been established in Accordance with the proclamation issued by
the national bank of Ethiopia in 1996. Micro finance as regulated financial institution emerged
following the issuance of proclamation NO. 40/1996(the first MFI legislation) by the Ethiopian
government, 18 years ago since then 38 microfinances were established and were operating in
the country.
The introduction of microfinance in Ethiopia has been gradual with its initiation attributed to the
proclamation in 1996 (WABEKON, 2006). It also states that prior to the issuing of the
proclamation, only a few NGOs and the Development Bank of Ethiopia offered limited and
isolated microfinance services on an ad-hoc basis. According to Wolday (2006), the
Microfinance institutions in the country were total 38 by the end of 2019, the whole number of
main branches has increased reaching to 1,743. MFIs total assets reached from 67.3 billion Br
(2.04 billion USD) in 2018 to 83.5 billion Br (2.5 billion USD) in 2019 according to the National
Bank of Ethiopia’s Annual Report, 2019.
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of the family. Access to credit empowers women economically and increases their acceptability
socially. Microfinance institution positively roll towards strong decision-making power,
development business skill, contribution in family development, knowledge, promote
confidence, encourage, legal awareness, self-worthiness and improve social status which
ultimately transforms income into a better level, develop household assets, increasing savings,
improve the standard of living, and well-being of the family.
Poverty is now a problem of larger part of global population. Majority Women suffer from
poverty in third world developing countries. Ethiopia is one of the developing countries where
poverty address throughout the country. This is because, vast part of Ethiopian population lives
in urban areas which accounts for 80% of the total population and the rest in rural area where
there are limited financial and market access accounting for 20% of the total population. More
attention given to women’s empowerment as holistic approach is usually based on the premises
that it is an effect of microfinance status. There are limited financial institutions in Ethiopia and
they are limited to reach the poor people of urban areas. This is because these institutions incur
high transaction cost in giving small loans.
Information problems of adverse selection and moral hazard, lack of appropriate collateral
system and informal nature of business of the poor are also the main causes. This is a great
problem in that substantial section of women’s lack of access to alternative financial assets and
financial services. There is a need for financial institutions that specialize within the provision of
small loans and mobilize and enhance small saving opportunity.
Women everywhere, especially in poor countries seriously suffer due to different reasons. While
women handle a majority part of the worlds work, they gain a very small part of the payment of
the work, in terms of money which they can control and socially position. According to the
World Bank (2001), gender inequalities in developing countries inhibit economic growth and
national development.
Women’s empowerment differs from one country to another country and between different
income groups. However, women’s economic, social and political position is generally worse in
developing countries as compared to the developed country. Women empowerment is giving the
ability to create choices and enhancing bargaining power, developing a sense of self-worth, a
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belief in one’s ability to secure desired changes and the right to control one’s life. Ethiopia, being
one of the developing and hopeful countries, considers it as a major issue of the country.
Considering the above, this research deals with the effect of microfinance on empowerment of
women in selected areas of Addis Ababa City Administration: the case of kirkos sub city,
Ethiopia. The clients served by the microfinance institutions in Ethiopia are mainly the rural
people. In addition to that about 38 percent of the clients of microfinance service in Ethiopia are
women currently serving 18,713 clients out of which 55 percent are women clients of
microfinance service in Addis Ababa.
The whole Microfinance institutions provide benefits to women and play an important effect in
their empowerment. The goal of microfinance institutions as development organizations is to
service the financial needs of underserved markets as a means of addressing development and
reducing poverty, Microfinance economically empowers women by saving capital and asset in
their hands and creating employment opportunity for them to earn an independent income and
contribute financially to their household’s family and societies.
The Institution normally providing loans for up to 7 months and extended for a maximum of 36
months depending on the loan amount and type of business activities. The size of loan given to
the clients ranges from Birr 700 to Birr 1,000,000 and the loan repayment is on monthly basis.
The institution follows the methodology of group lending, where borrowers form groups with 3-
5 members and joint liability over the loan, although there are some times cases of individual and
cooperative lending.
The Institution operates its programs in four branches and 123 sub-branches of the urban and
rural areas in Addis Ababa. This paper aims to critically analyze firstly, the role of microfinance
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institutions in enhancing the women economic empowerment and secondly effect of
microfinance on the socio-economic development towards women’s economic empowerment.
According to the World Bank’s gender statistics database, women have a higher unemployment
rate than men in virtually every country. In general, women also make up the majority of the
lower paid, unorganized informal sector of most economies (www.genderstats.worldbank.org).
Empowerment of women and gender equality are prerequisite for achieving political, social,
economic, cultural and environmental security among people (Beijing, 1995). As it has been
cited earlier, access to credit is an important mechanism for reducing women’s poverty and to
empower them.
Nowadays, various studies have been carried out on impact of MFIs service on women’s
economic empowerment. But different academicians have different extreme argument that MFIs
services have a very extern beneficial on women’s economic empowerment and is a key factor in
empowering women’s economy for poor rural women who are unemployed, underemployed and
self-employed through emphasizing in the developing independent income generating, voluntary
micro-finance saving, smoothing household expenditure and developing prosperity of asset
(Holcombe, 2005 and Hossain, 2008).
Microfinance is one of the financial institutions that provides loans to clients to help them
engage in productive activities and to enhance their micro and small business. The commercial
banks and development banks do not take an interest in providing financial services to small
business in urban area.
Most of microfinance institutions approve loans for small business purpose, because income
increment is a positive indicator to which all development activities are addressed (Daniel,
2010). It is important to understand patriarchy in order to understand present day relations
between women and men. Eshetu (2000) defines patriarchy as father rule, male domination on
women’s productive labor power, property and other economic resources.
Empowerment of women and gender equality are prerequisite for achieving political, social,
economic, cultural and environmental security among people (Beijing, 1995). In almost
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throughout many countries, men’s domination over women is strongest within the household.
Access to credit and participation in income-generating activities strengthen women’s
bargaining power within the household thereby allowing them to influence a greater number of
strategic decisions.
As it has been addressed earlier, access to credit is an important mechanism for reducing
women’s poverty and to empower them. But there are only few institutions committed on
providing access to loans. This is because these institutions incur high transaction cost in giving
small loans. Information problems of adverse selection and moral hazard, lack of appropriate
collateral and informal nature of business of the poor are also the main causes. This is a problem
which causes substantial section of population lack access to alternative financial assets and
financial services. This study looks into microfinance institutions and their contribution to
women’s knowledge and self-confidence improvement by developing their social networking.
The effect of microfinance should be and still be giving credit to the poor with the objective of
reducing poverty and improving their living standard. This study focus on with the effect of
microfinance in creating employment and income opportunities to women and in empowering
them to play an important role in the economic, political and socio-cultural situation in the study
area.
After the fall of Derg regime, the government, NGOs and other civil activities are trying to
address special consideration about women’s economic empowerment problem. Therefore, the
mission of this study is, ADCSISC in which operating in Addis Ababa City Administration: the
case of kirkos sub city, Ethiopia emphasizes the economic empowerment of poor urban
population is important and mandatory for the economic empowerment of women. This study
looks into microfinance institutions as contributing to women’s knowledge and self-confidence
by widening their social networking. It also gives women the tools and skills they need to
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participate more effectively and successfully in formal politics and to informally influence
decisions and policies that affect their lives. Generally, this study deals with the role of
microfinance in creating employment and income opportunities to women and subsequently in
empowering them to play an active role in the economic, political and socio-cultural sphere in
the study area.
This paper will have significance for government body, private sector, for scholar and researcher,
and anyone who seeks knowledge.
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For government, the finding of this paper will act as reference for women empowerment so as to
have more sustainable small scale business development. Government body will also use this
paper to increase the level of support for women entrepreneurs in small scale businesses.
For stakeholder, this paper can be used to empower women in participation and involvement of
small scale business.
The researchers will conduct further research on women empowerment in small scale business.
For women and the community the finding conclusion and recommendation of this paper will
show the contribution of small scale business on women economic empowerment. They will
know the level of support of the government and small business stakeholder for microfinance
institution and will be motivated, encouraged and they will involve.
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Chapter Two
Micro-finance is a form of financial sector that has primarily focused on alleviating poverty
through providing financial services such as voluntary saving and microcredit to the lower
income people who are unable to obtain such services from formal banking sector due to lack of
collateral assets. Microfinance is not offering this service only, but also it provides broader
services including insurance, transactional services, and savings (Barr, 2004). Canadian
International Development Agency (CIDA, 2007) defined microfinance as, “the provision of a
wide range of financial services to poor women and men to enable them to increase their
incomes, build assets and reduce lack of access to formal financial institutions. According to
(Christen et al., 2003).
Microfinance is a means to provide banking services for lower-income peoples’, especially the
poor and very poor. The term “microfinance” is often used in a much narrower sense, referring
principal to microcredit for tiny informal businesses of micro entrepreneurs using methods
developed since 1980 mainly by social oriented.
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2.1.2 The idea of micro-finance institutions
The idea to establish micro-finance institutions traces back to Muhammad Yunus, who
developed it as a way to eradicate poverty in his home country Bangladesh. In 1979, he Founded
Grameen Bank, the first institution which realized this concept and started to operate in the
micro-finance business in the proper sense. Together, Yunus and Grameen Bank were laureates
of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize awarded for their efforts through Micro-credit to create economic
and social development (Norwegian Nobel Committee, 2006). Micro-finance institutions provide
small-scale financial services to poor people who are excluded from the formal banking sector
(Morduch, 1999, p.1569) and standard financial systems. Operating merely in developing and
emerging countries, they have specialized in offering loans of minor scale to enable individuals
to start small productive businesses and enhance entrepreneurship.
In rural and urban areas of developing countries, the development of financial systems is of poor,
sometimes they have not fully emerged at all. In this case, micro-finance institutions often
represent a first opportunity for the local population to participate in financial systems and to
benefit from access to business and capital. Although there have been organizations
concentrating on offering loans and saving opportunities to needy people before (Counts, 2008,
p.3), Grameen Bank is known for successfully implementing the system of group lending.
In particular, it has proposed a number of indicators to measure the impact of poverty elimination
methods (Yunus, in: Counts, 2008, p.8). These consider primarily basic needs similar to the
definition of the International Labor Organization 1976(in: Schubert, 2007), and the financial
situation of the poor. Yunus (2007) argues that global poverty does not emerge from market
failures, but from capitalism as a theoretical concept which does not fully model real economic
structures in general and economic behavior of each individual in particular(pp.18–19).
The idea of micro-finance institutions meets both requirements. They provide access to capital
on smallest scales, and ideally act as social businesses realizing economic behavior augmented
by social preferences. It enables poor people to engage in productive economic activities and
thus contribute to development in low-income population
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2.1.3 Microfinance in Ethiopia
Microfinance institutions were introduced in Ethiopia after the downfall of the Derg regime
following the policy of economic liberalization. The development of microfinance institutions in
Ethiopia is a recent phenomenon. Ethiopian development strategy is the establishment of
sustainable microfinance institutions serving large number of poor people.
Microfinance is taken as a shift from government and NGO subsidized loan programs to finance
services run by specialized financial institutions. Later microcredit programs were changed to
microfinance institutions. Non-governmental organization (NGO) credit schemes and informal
sources of finance have existed in Ethiopia for many years; the government instituted a legal and
policy framework for MFIs in 1996 through Proclamation 40/1996 (Gebrehiwot, 2002).
Currently, the Ethiopian microfinance industry is rapidly growing.
After introduction of proclamations no. 40/1996, one of the MFI established in Ethiopia is ACSI
which is operating in the Addis Ababa city administration of Ethiopia. It was originally
established as Non-governmental organization in 1997. ACSI is operating in one hundred twenty
three (123) branches in Addis Ababa city, Ethiopia,
The theoretical framework is the foundation on which the entire research project is based. It will
identify the relationship between outcome ACSI and explanatory variables for which it is
important to make the study proposed in the present research project. There are a number of
theories that try to explain the concept of microfinance and its role in the life of poor people
throughout the world. Governments and development partners have invested heavily in these
economies to alleviate poverty which is an obstacle to development and empowering the poor
people economically. These theories include neo-classical growth theory, welfarist theory, 11
institutions theory, empowerment theory and uniting theory (Todaro et al, 2003; Robinson, 2001;
Elsa and Stina, 2006; Cheston and Kuhn, 2002, Omoro and Omwange, 2013).
12
Micro-finance and income generation: Hunte and kasynathan (2002) described that microfinance
programs for women’s have positive impact on economic growth by improving women income
generating activity.
Micro-finance and women’s entrepreneurial development: The basic theory is that microfinance
empowers women’s economy by putting capital in their hand and allowing them to earn an
independent income and to contribute financially to their households and communities (Mayoux
2001). As Cheston and Kuhn(2002) stated microfinance enables women empowerment by
placing capital in their hand that allowing them income generating activity in the form of
microenterprise and agricultural production that translate into economic empowerment. Also
according to Mayoux (1999) the sustainable microfinance services alone might lead into
women’s economic empowerment through stimulating women’s microenterprise development,
leading to increased income under women’s control.
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women’s access to micro-finance services (saving and credit) will in itself lead to individual
economic empowerment, social, political empowerment and lives well-being.
From the review of literature, the question as to whether MFIs services have effects on economic
empowerment of women is not tackled among different academician in a broader way instead of
positive or negative extreme argument impact, the focus has been on the general MFIs service;
furthermore, there are very few literature on negative and positive effects of MFIs services to
Women economic empowerment but still with much bias of the microfinance effect on economic
empowerment. This study proposes to look at the impact of MFIs services total effects on
women economic empowerment during intervention whether acting as a fulcrum point of non-
empowerment.
Under an article on ‘special responsibility’ the 1996 micro-finance law asks MFIs to reach out to
the rural poor in the delivery of credit services in a manner in which group guarantee will
substitute for property collateral. The article, however, fails short of decreeing group lending as
the only means of providing credit to the poor.
The lending institution is given only a special responsibility to find ways and means to avoid
property collaterals. There is a general understanding among the practitioners that this article
prohibits individual lending and other Revisiting the Regulatory and Supervision Framework
lending approaches.
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As would be discussed later, lack of a legal mechanism for MFIs to recover
loans using mortgaged property and absence of an appropriate institution authorized to register
such property pledged or mortgaged by the borrower to guarantee the loan is a serious problem
de facto prohibiting individual lending with collateral requirements by MFIs.
This legal provision now exists for the conventional banks (Proclamation No.97/1998).
Directive No. MFI/05/1996 states that loans extended to any one borrower by a licensed MFI
shall not at any time exceed Birr 5,000 and should be paid back during a single loan period of not
more than 12 months. However, the lending institution may reschedule loans based on
repayment performance and the nature of the enterprise for which the loan is provided. ( Bekele
Shiferaw2001)
The term empowerment is used to refer to self-reliance and self-respect in order to enable each
person reach his/her God given potential (Cheston and Kuhn, 2002: 12). They also state that
empowerment is about change, choice and power. Empowerment is also considered as process of
change by which individuals or groups with little or no power gain the power and ability to make
choices that affect their lives.
Empowerment is also defined as a process through which women are able to transform their self-
perceptions-equivalent to alchemy of visibly transforming gender roles. Empowerment generally
involves change at three broad levels: within the household, within the community, and at a
broader institutional or policy-making level (Zafar, 2002:63)
Furthermore, links between empowerment and health in general, and specifically for women are
receiving growing recognition. Presentation made by WHO at the Fourth World Conference on
Women at Beijing states that the empowerment of women is a fundamental prerequisite for their
health. This means promoting access for women to resources, education and employment and the
protection and promotion of their human rights and fundamental freedoms so that they are
enabled to make choices free from coercion or discrimination (WHO, 1995).
Empowerment: Cornwall, Eyben and Kabeer (2008) define empowerment as the process that
relates to the power of an individual to redefine his or her possibilities and to have the ability to
15
act up on them. Kabeer (1999) further defines empowerment as the expansion in people’s ability
to make strategic life choice in a context where this ability was previously denied to them.
Accordingly, empowerment is about the improvement of individual’s ability to make a
difference in their setting which in turn affect their life.
The World Bank (2009) defined empowerment as the process of increasing the capacity of
individuals or group to make choices and to transform those choices in to desired action and
outcomes. Economic empowerment: is the capacity of women and men to participate in ,
contribute to and benefit from growth process in ways which recognize the value of their
contribution, respect their dignity and make it possible to negotiate a fairer distribution of the
benefits of growth (Eyben et al., 2008)). Women’s economic empowerment: women’s access to
saving and credit gives them a greater economic role in decision-making about saving and credit.
When women control decision regarding credit and saving they will optimize their own and
household’s welfare.
Most micro finance organizations target poor women and usually those from socially excluded
groups. The reason for the targeting of women under microfinance schemes is the relationship
between gender and development. Various researches conducted by institutions such as UNDP
(1995) and the World Bank (2001) indicate that gender inequalities inhibit growth and
development. Hence, acknowledging the prevalent gender inequalities and the impact on
development, microfinance provides women with access to working capital and training to
mobilize women's productive capacity to alleviate poverty and pave the way for development.
Women are basically the poorest of the poor. According to UNDP (2003) Human Development
Reports, women make up the majority of lower paid and unemployed portion of most economies.
It is believed that the welfare of a family is enhanced, when women are helped to increase their
incomes. This is due to the fact that women spend most of their incomes on their households.
Hence, assisting women generates a multiplier effect enlarging the impact of the family needs
and, therefore, another justification for giving priority to them.
The investment in women’s economic activity will improve employment opportunity for women
and thus have a trickle down and outreach effect (Mayoux2001). It is also the capacity of women
16
to participate, contribute to, and benefit from growth process in ways which recognizes the
values of their contributions respect to dignity. Also as stated by DAC Net Work on Gender
equality (OECD, 2012) is a process that increases women’s access to and control over economic
resources and opportunities including jobs, financial services, property and other productive
assets from which one can generate an income. It is prerequisite for sustainable development and
proper growth and the achievement. Therefore the economic empowerment of women is
prerequisite for sustainable development, pro-poor growth and the achievement of all the
Millennium Development Goal.
It is very essential to know the effect of MFIs program over women economic empowerment and
that it is necessary to investigate with help of some economic empowerment indicators. These
indicators are used mostly by researcher to identify whether the MFIs program has really help in
making some positive change in life of poor rural women households as some assessment is
conducted as follow. Economic empowerment indicators focus mainly on the economic status of
the women and investigate whether MFI has lead to additional income, contribution to saving,
create new employment opportunity, control over essential asset, and women entrepreneur
development.
Empirical evidences gathered in diverse contexts suggest the prevalence of both negative and
positive impacts of micro-finance on women economic conditions. A study conducted by Amin
et al in 2008, goes to argue that targeted credit can be used as a mechanism for enhancing poorer
women's existing socioeconomic conditions and thereby altering the relations between gender
and class, to the benefit of the weaker parties.
The authors attempted to explore the relationship between poor women's participation in micro-
credit programmers and their empowerment by using empirical data from rural Bangladesh. This
has been done by examining quantitative data collected from a representative sample consisting
of female borrowers and non-borrowers from each of five NGO program areas, and the other
17
sample consisting of non-borrowers from counterpart non-program areas with no significant
presence of any NGO program.
The results show that the NGO credit members are ahead of the non-members in all three indices
of empowerment, irrespective of nonmembers' residence in program areas or non- program areas.
Moreover, the non-members within NGO program areas show a higher level of empowerment on
the autonomy and authority indices than do the non-members within the comparison areas.
The results further indicate that education, house type, yearly income, etc., tend to be positively
associated with autonomy and authority indices. Also positively associated are duration of NGO
membership and non-agricultural occupations. The implications of all these findings are that
NGO credit program in rural Bangladesh are not only likely to bring about rapid economic
improvement in the situation of women but also hasten their empowerment.
Up until the early 1990s, the sources of finance for rural and urban poor and micro and small
enterprise operators in Ethiopia were confined only to informal sources of finance like
moneylenders, friends and relatives (Itana et al, 2004).He further noted that, starting in the mid-
1990s, following the drought of 1984/85, some Non-Government Organizations (NGOs)
introduced the idea of saving and credit among poor people as a strategy for rehabilitation and
development.
Later on, special government programs operated mainly in collaboration with international
financial institutions came into the picture. However, both types of programs were operated in a
scattered manner and lacked sustainability until of the substantial measures taken to liberalize the
financial sector, the promulgation of proclamation No.40/96 is most commonly cited. The
proclamation provides the framework to create, expand and develop microfinance programs.
Micro-financing is viewed as a means to alleviate poverty through pumping capital to
subsistence agriculture and micro enterprises. Following the Agricultural Development Led
Industrialization (ADLI) strategy of the EPRDF government, rural finance has been considered
as an important tool for agricultural and food security (Belay, 2001).
18
Consistent with its ADLI policy, the government had to reconsider the operational modality of
microfinance to facilitate a very significant improvement in service delivery and outreach.
Consequently, the government came up with Proclamation No.40 in June 1996. The central
elements of the proclamation seem to be outreach and sustainability. That is, if properly
implemented, the proclamation has the potential to facilitate significant outreach, and the
flourishing of several sustainable Micro-finance institutions (Meklit MFI et al, 2005).
The importance of the micro and small enterprises sector in Ethiopia, particularly for the low-
income, poor and women groups, is evident from their relatively large presence, share of
employment and small capital requirement. These are sufficient reasons for governments and
other stakeholders in development to be interested in micro and small enterprises (Gebrehiwot
and Wolday, 2001).
In line with the development of micro-finance institutions, the Government of Ethiopia set up
participatory rules and policies which gave space for women productivity. Padma (2003) noted
that, government has formulated and issued the Ethiopian Women’s Policy to speed up the
economic and social advancement of women.
This policy gives special emphasis to rural women by ‘facilitating the necessary conditions
whereby they can have access to basic services and to ways and means of lightening their
workload’. Consequently, all development programs at national and regional levels should be
able to integrate gender concerns in their plans and programs to ensure that women participate,
contribute, benefit, become recognized, and obtain technological support. Since the first
Proclamation of 1996 that gave the legal background for the operation of the micro-financing
business, the industry has witnessed a major boom.
A significant portion of Ethiopia’s population lives without access to basic, affordable and
sustainable financial services. This is largely due to the perception by commercial banks of the
unattractive risk-return outlook of serving the low income and urban population.
Data from National Bank of Ethiopia suggest that more than two third of the population has
resorted to traditional, informal and expensive financial services such as Money lenders, keeping
cash at home funeral funds etc. Today, there are 38 MFIs registered with the National Bank of
19
Ethiopia serving clients, with more than 1000 branches spread across Ethiopia are serving 2.6
million Customers meeting less than 20% of the demand for the finical services.
The Ethiopian microfinance market is dominated by a few large MFIs, all of which are linked to
regional state government ownership. The five largest institutions account for 87.4% of the
market share in terms of borrowing clients, and 90.4 % by loan provision and 93.5% of deposit
Mobilization. These are Amhara (ACSI), Dedebit (DECSI), Oromia (OCSSCO), Omo and Addis
Credit and Savings Institutions.
As of Dec 2012, 30 MFIs are in operations with Active clients 2,637,625 Outstanding - about
Birr 9,589,633,775 Savings – birr 5,474,346,625 To meet unsatisfied demand for financial
services, a variety of Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) has emerged over time in Ethiopia.
According Tesfay (2003), the case study of Marginalized group, Credit and empowerment for
the case of Dedebit Credit and Saving Institution (DECSI) of Tigray, The study show that the
DECSI‘s program has had a Positive impact on the livelihood of and as well as enhanced the
social and political position of many client.
Women’s access to financial resources has been substantially increasing over the years.
However; their ability to benefit from the access in is limited by the gender related disadvantages
(Skarlatos, 2004). In addition, despite their growing capacities, some microfinance institutions
provide a decreasing percentage of loans to women. The loan size provided to women also
appears to be smaller in comparison to men although both participate in the same program and
belong to the same community. In addition to women's poverty levels, social discrimination
against women results in smaller loan sizes in comparison to men.
Furthermore, there are only a limited number of women in the leadership of microfinance
institutions, which might be one reason for the biased loan access. However, regardless of the
odds, microfinance programs still have the potential to transform power relations and empower
the poor. Although microfinance does not address all the impediments to women's
empowerment, it can contribute to their empowerment if properly implemented (Kabeer, 2005).
20
The goal of empowerment can be achieved through microfinance programs that are broad based,
gender focused and financially sustainable. A gender based policy involves more than just
targeting women. Creating gender- based policy involves a process through which an institution
re-examines all of the underling structures and assumptions about gender roles, rights and
responsibilities that have historically discriminated against women as borrowers and employees.
It is also important for microfinance institutions to set guidelines pertaining to employee
recruitment, promotion, roles and responsibilities. In this regard, the formulation and
enforcement of the guidelines is expected to bring about positive social changes. Furthermore,
involving women both as staff and borrowers has the potential for increased levels of economic
empowerment and financial stability that will benefit the individual omen, their families and
communities (Mayoux, 2002).
Microfinance makes women economically independent by putting capital and financial resources
in their hands. Economic independence results in higher bargaining power for women in their
households and communities, and subsequently results in higher prestige and self-esteem. Here
the functions of microfinance are synchronous with its potential to empower.
Microfinance has been seen as contributing not only to poverty reduction and financial
sustainability, but also to a series of ‘virtuous spirals’ of economic empowerment, increased
well-being and social and political empowerment for women themselves, thereby addressing
goals of gender equality and empowerment (Mayoux and Hartl 2009, 8).
21
government has formulated and issued the Ethiopian women’s policy to speed up the economic
and social advancement of women.
Rural development programs need to reorient their implementation strategies so that they would
target rural women as beneficiaries of development initiatives and programs. Within this
framework, anti-poverty and women empowerment could be aspects of the major development
strategies. While microfinance institutions have increased their efforts to provide credit to
women, in Ethiopia women constitutes only 45% of those reached by microfinance (Getaneh,
2010). As the dominant objective of Microfinance in Ethiopia is to provide a broad range of
micro-finance services to large numbers of poor households, it should be their priority to
accommodate remarkable numbers of women clients to accomplish tangible changes in the
livelihood of the poor.
The overall framework of the study is developed by creating concepts. The concept are
contribution of microfinance institutions for women, gender equality and economic growth.
Microfinance institutions play great roll in women empowerment, because they create job
opportunity for women, motivates women for entrepreneurship and they can be owner of
businesses. The microfinance institutions contribute for employment opportunity for them and
improve the average income earned before business creation of assets, and increasing saving.
Thus it can be concluded that microfinance contribute a lot for women economic empowerment
and development.
The economic empowerment of women will have two outputs those are gender equally and
women empowerment is one of the millennium development goals. According to united nation
industrial development organization(2008), micro and small business not only play key role of in
sustaining economic growth and reducing poverty(by creating employment ,generate incomes,
reducing vulnerability for small producers and poor worker) but also in addressing gender
22
imbalances. Micro and small business provide women with income, and promote their
empowerment and independence both the household and the community according to Ethiopian
millennium goals report (2012)empowering women through access education as well as
providing them with physical and financial resources is crucial to the long term development of
the country.
Chapter Three
3. Research Methodology
This chapter deals with description of the study area, research design, data sources, sample size
determination and sample techniques, research instrument and method of data analysis.
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia and Africa Union. It is located in the central part of
the country. The study area is located at 9º2’N latitude and 38º45’E longitude. The landscape is
flat with some small hills to the east and west. Its average altitude is 2,400 meter above sea level,
with the highest elevations at Entoto Hill to the north reaching 3,200 meters. This makes Addis
Ababa one of the high-altitude capital cities of the world. According to the recently revised
master plan, the city covers an area of about 540 sq. km/ 2,300 meters. And has a mild climate.
The foundation of Addis Ababa dates back to the 18 th century associated with the establishment
of Entoto.
Kirkos sub city is one among ten sub cities of Addis Ababa City Administration. Its neighbors
are: in the north Addis Ketema sub city, in the east bole and Nefas silk sub cities, in the south
east Nefas silk Lafto sub city and in the west lideta sub city. The total area of the sub city is
estimated about 61.25 square kilometers. The total population of sub city estimated in 2007 to be
23
221,234. Of this 117,734 are female and the remaining 103,500 are male. the sub city covers an
area of about 14.7 km². The sub city was established according to the proclamation No.1/1995 of
Addis Ababa city administration.
key
Addis Ababa Kirkos sub city
Descriptive research design, explanatory approaches and cross sectional data are used in the
study to describe the contribution of microfinance institution for economic empowerment. The
24
reason for using this design is that it enables to describe the contribution of microfinance
institution for women economic empowerment and clearly describes the support of stake holder
for economic empowerment.
The target population of the study will be women who participate ADCSISC program in kirkos
sub city.
The sample size is selected in order to execute the survey purposive and Stratified simple
random sampling is employed as sampling techniques to select –micro and small business
women’s respondent are selected in the study area to collect the required information According
to kottari (2004) sample size for the given proportion of finite population is
n=Z2pqN
2 2
e (N-1) Z pq where,
n= = sample size y
P = probability to be selected
25
N= (1.64)2 (0.5x0.5) 938
3.02
Stratified simple random sampling technique is used to select two woreda out of 15 main districts
in kirkos sub city for high degree and equal chances as representative of medium population in a
sub city, districts of woreda10 and woreda 11 to collect data for analysis. The total population of
938 are conducted to research inferential Analysis from base consistency of using potential
economic variables which make loan for identified purpose having with training skills, the
sample size of 210 subjects are select through the multistage sampling techniques because the
population is supposed to be heterogeneous with purpose of ADCSISC service (agriculture,
commercial, small business and service economic activities)
Both quantitative and qualitative data type is used in the study under examination. In order to
generate these data types both primary and secondary data sources are used. Secondary data
include woreda report and others. Primary data is select from the selected sample respondent
beneficiary.
The study will uses primary data, which are collected through semi-structured questionnaires.
The questionnaires consists of only close ended questions and had two sections. Section one deal
with general socio-demographic information of respondents and section two has to seek
information regarding to the effect of ADCSISC services on economic empowerment of
women’s research questions. The questions are presented in Amharic language to administer the
better likelihood of understanding on ADCSISC performance on their economic empowerment.
26
3.8 Model Specification
The study will be generalizes binary logit regression model based on binomial probability theory
approach of mathematical relationship to analyze the multi-explanatory variables to a
dichotomous (dummy) dependent variable as elicit two responses. The logit function is
employed because dependent variable is dichotomous, whereas the assumed explanatory
variables are mixture of continuous and categorical. Thus, the model was chosen over others due
to independent variables need not be interval or normally distribute, nor linearly relate or equal
variance with in each subjects (O’ Cornell, 2005) As Maddala (1993) stated if the dependent
variable is binary (dummy) outcomes and explanatory variables are non-linear function of binary
variable; binary logit regression model is used as suggested by the reason for model.
Table 1 Work Plan for Assessing Effects of Microfinance on Womens Economic Empowerment
in Addis Ababa City Administration in the Case of Kirkos Sub City.
Date Activities
November 16/2024- Conducting and awareness creation the about the research study for the
respondent
February 16/2024 Create opportunity for effect of microfinance and understanding micro and
small business
April 16 - April 30, Submission of the first draft results and discussion, conclusion and
2024 recommendation to respective advisors
April 16 - April 30, Comments and modifications of the draft thesis (advisors and advisees)
27
2024
May 1 – May 15, Final comments by advisors and revision by advisees
2024
May 16 – June 30, Submission of the final draft thesis to the department
2024
July 7, 2024 Assignment of examiners
July 15- 20, 2024 Thesis defense
August 15 - 22, Submission deadline for the correct thesis (based on examination committee’s
2024 comments) to the department
s/n Type of budget items measure quantity Unit Total price Remark
price
28
Reference
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Beijing Platform for Action. (1995). Fourth United Nations World Conference on Women,
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Berhanu, G. (2000). Amde Haimanot Made (Amharic). Addis Ababa: Africa Printing Press.
Byrne, Bridget and Koch Laier, Julie and Baden, Sally and Marcus, Rachel. (1996). National
Machineries for Women in Development. Brighton Bridge: Igs.
Cheston, Susy and Lisa, Kuhn. (2002). Empowering women Through Microfinance.
Washington: Published by UN IFEM for Micro-credit Summit 2002.
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Solomon Desta. (1999) Economic Empowerment. Documentation of the Forum on Gender,
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Development Alternatives with Women for a New era (DAWN). (1995). Rethinking Social
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Buchley, Graeme (2007) Microfinance in Africa. Is it either the problem or the solution?, world
development25, 1081—1093.
CGAP,1995 Micro and small enterprise finance: Guiding principle for selecting and supporting
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COUNT, 2008- Small loan, Big Dreams. How Nobel prize winner Mud Yunus and Microfinance
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growth
Chesto, S. and Kuhn, L. 2002 Empowering women through microfinance “in draft Opportunity
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Eyben and Kabeer, 2008- Conceptualizing empowerment and the implications for pro- Poor
growth
ILO (1998) - Women in the informal sector and their access to microfinance. Hussain. I and
Underwood. J (1990) - African financing needs and African external finance, World Bank,
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Leach and Sitaram, (2008) – Microfinance and women’s empowerment: A lesson from India
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Lakwo, A. (2006) - Microfinance, rural livelihoods and women’s empowerment in Uganda
Hashemi, Schuler and Riley (, 1996); Holvoet, (2005) - “Rural credit programs and women’s
empowerment in Bengladesh” in world development, vol.24, No. 4, 1999, pp. 635-653.
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Women’s Empowerment in Rural Bangladesh: Quantitative and Qualitative Evidence. The
Journal of Developing Areas, 221-236
Belay Asefa (2001). Best practices in Microfinance: Lessons to Ethiopia. A paper presented
International workshop on microfinance, Mekelle University, Ethiopia.
Central Statistical Authority (CSA), (1994). Ethiopian Census on Housing and population. Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia.
31
Appendices
Questionnaire
Quantitative questionnaire to be filled by ADCSISC program beneficiary consent form.
First, thank you for coming to give the valuable & possible response in your bus schedule. These
are self- completing survey questionnaire which is required for conducting the study on the
impact of ADCSISC program on women’s economic empowerment. Please keep in mind that
every response is valuable to the researcher. Any relevant response you provide here by is kept
strictly confidential and will be used exclusively for the better research work. Your purposeful
honest response in the form of the right answer is important for the good research and reliable
outcome.
32
A.3. Marital status of the respondent: female A.3.Breakdown level of respondents’ educational
qualification: uneducated 1-4 class 5-8 class 9-12 class
College University
A.5. Family size with age in years: 1-18 19-40 40-60 >60
B.1 An ADCSISC program services strengthen and balance the beneficiaries’ economic
empowerment status.
True False
B.2. Does participating in ADCSISC program restricts from other better ways of empowering
your economy?
Yes No
B.3. If the answer in B.2 is yes what does the most prominent cause for your economic
empowerment after participating in ADCSISC program? (Multiple response possible)
33
B.4. Which of the following economic empowerment variables do you think is the outcome of
participating in ADCSISC program services? (Multiple response possible)
B.5.Have you ever owned any self-employed small business before being client to ADCSISC
program?
Yes No
B.6. If the answer in B.5 is yes, in which business did you engage?
B.7.How many employed workers did you have in your business before joining ADCSISC
program? Including the owner, Total number_______________________
B.8. In which of the following types of self-employed business currently you are engaged after
being member of ADCSISC program? (Multiple response possible)
Commercial sector (like “Baltina” “Gulitti” trade, container shop, selling serials,
coffee)
B.9. From the above economic activity you selected, how long your business have has been
there?
34
B.10. On average, is there any difference in your business activity after being a client of
ADCSISC program? Since receiving credit, what has changed in your business activity?
B.12. is there any change of the business after being client to ADCSISC program service?
Yes NO
B13. If the answer in B.12 is yes, what is the net average total revenue and No. of employee in
your self-employed small business after joining ADCSISC services?
From service/enterprise
activity
Other(specify፡)
B.14. Did you have ever annual saving in any financial institutions before joining ADCSISC
program? Yes No
B.16. Is there any change in your saving scheme after joining the ADCSISC program?
Yes No
B.17. If the answer in B16 is yes, for what purpose do you save?
35
To expand business To repay other loan For household
expenditure
B.18. What is the average annual saving amount (in birr) after joining ADCSISC program?
B.19.Have you ever have any source of income (in birr) before joining ADCSISC program?
36