The Impact of Microfinance on Women’s Empowerment in Bolivia

Alejandra Garcia helps facilitate a focus group session with microfinance clients in Sucre, Bolivia.

Presenter: Alejandra Garcia, master’s student, UO Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management; M.A. Gender and Women Studies, Armstrong Atlantic State University.

Access to credit is one way that Bolivian women can acquire economic power, yet whether access to a loan from nonprofit microfinance organizations results in empowerment, or at least steps toward greater equity in Latin America, needs more research. With this in mind, the study will discuss whether or not this poverty reduction strategy does indeed alleviate poverty and empower women by providing greater access to participation in leadership roles and greater decision-making in the business and household.

A native Bolivian, Alejandra Garcia will be conducting her research in December 2011, to be presented in 2012.