Mikorlån; skuldfälla eller framgångssaga? - En antropologisk utredning av mikrolån via Grameen Bank i Indien och Bangladesh

Sammanfattning: The purpose of this study is to explore if and how the situation for women in India and Bangladesh changes through microloans. In this thesis I describe what microloans are about, what empowerment is and how Grameen Bank works. The data for this study consist of anthropological research and field studies as well as statistical data, which have been analyzed using from a perspective of applied anthropology. The conclusion is that microloans can take two paths, one of success and one of liability. The one of liability is much more common. This can be derived to the fact that men and women see men as a natural heads of women, and that only about 5 % of women are in full control of their loan. Many microloan programs are bases upon the premise that women are more likely to spend money on their families and to repay their loans. However, many men take the money and spend it, leaving the women in a more exposed position than before, with a big debt to repay and many of these women will turn to criminals to get a loan so they can repay the Grameen bank-loan. They are also in risk of being beaten or killed by family members or the criminals when they are unable to pay.