Barriers to Economic, Political and Social Empowerment in Relation to Financial Inclusion of Urban Woman Workers in Faridabad, India
Authors
Mikkelsen, Mette Høst ; Kristensen, Karen Maria Asp Nygaard ; Wenzel, Katrin
Term
4. term
Publication year
2019
Submitted on
2019-05-31
Pages
101
Abstract
This thesis examines how economic, social, and political empowerment intersect with financial inclusion among urban women workers in Faridabad, India. Challenging narrow ‘market empowerment’ approaches, it adopts a holistic perspective in which access to and control over economic resources, social norms, and political participation are mutually reinforcing. In collaboration with the women’s rights organization Breakthrough India, we conducted qualitative individual and focus group interviews with urban women workers. Thematic analysis was guided by a framework drawing on Naila Kabeer, Parpart et al., and Lynn Horton. Findings indicate that shortages of human, social, and economic resources—and limited agency over them—are key barriers to empowerment and to tangible gains in financial inclusion. Insufficient incomes restrict access to formal financial services and choice; curtailed education limits opportunities and financial literacy; gender roles, gender‑based violence, and alcoholism undermine women’s control over money and social resources; and a lack of political knowledge and action constrains collective advocacy for change. The study contributes to empowerment scholarship by demonstrating that economic, social, and political dimensions are tightly interlinked and should be addressed together to strengthen financial inclusion for urban women in Faridabad.
Denne afhandling undersøger, hvordan økonomisk, social og politisk empowerment hænger sammen med finansiel inklusion blandt urbane kvinder i arbejde i Faridabad, Indien. Med udgangspunkt i en kritik af snæver ‘markeds‑empowerment’ argumenterer vi for en holistisk forståelse, hvor adgang til og kontrol over økonomiske ressourcer, sociale normer og politisk deltagelse gensidigt påvirker hinanden. I samarbejde med kvinders rettighedsorganisationen Breakthrough India gennemførte vi kvalitative individuelle interviews og fokusgruppeinterviews med kvinder i byens arbejdsstyrke. Analysen blev temakodet og forankret i et teoretisk rammeværk inspireret af Naila Kabeer, Parpart m.fl. og Lynn Horton. Resultaterne peger på, at mangel på menneskelige, sociale og økonomiske ressourcer – samt begrænset handlekraft over disse – udgør centrale barrierer for empowerment og for konkrete fremskridt i finansiel inklusion. Utilstrækkelige indkomster begrænser adgang til formelle finansielle tjenester og valgmuligheder; begrænset uddannelse mindsker muligheder og finansiel forståelse; kønsroller, kønsbaseret vold og alkoholmisbrug svækker kvinders kontrol over penge og sociale ressourcer; og fravær af politisk viden og handling hindrer kollektive krav om forandring. Afhandlingen bidrager ved at demonstrere, at økonomisk, social og politisk empowerment er tæt forbundne dimensioner, som bør adresseres samlet, hvis finansiel inklusion skal styrkes for urbane kvinder i Faridabad.
[This apstract has been generated with the help of AI directly from the project full text]