The Promise of Empowerment : A Content Analysis of MF-NGOs Approach to Women´s Empowerment in Bangladesh

Sammanfattning: The core issue of this thesis deals with the global issue of poverty and gender inequality inBangladesh. The research problem deals with the concept of empowerment in relation tomicrofinance loans as poverty alleviation strategies. The most developed theoreticalframework of empowerment in the microfinance field, developed by Naila Kabeer is utilised.This thesis analysed through a qualitative content method if Kabeer´s framework can beoperationalized to understand three of the most known MF-NGOs approach to women'sempowerment in Bangladesh. The findings were that the most common concepts to describeempowerment were linked to sustainability and building capacity. It was also found that thepractical approach was mostly found on a community level. The research further concludesthat it raises questions to what extent development work can address individuality. Though,concluding arguments hold that measuring and identifying when empowerment is achieved ishowever heavily evident to further fulfil microfinance promise of empowerment for womenin poverty.