Impact of Micro-credit Programs on Empowerment of Rural Women in Kermanshah Province of Iran

Empowerment of rural women is considered as a major policy in rural development. Thus, this causal comparative study aims at assessing the effectiveness of micro-credit programs in social, economic, and family empowerment of rural women in Kermanshah province of Iran. The study population includes members and non-members of the micro-credit program launched in the province. Using systematic random sampling and Bartlett table of sample size, 366 rural women participate in the study. A researcher-made questionnaire is used to collect the concerned data. The reliability of research instrument is tested through Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The study results reveal that the studied micro-credit program is somewhat effective; in addition, members of the micro-credit program are more empowered than the non-members, indicating the effectiveness of the program again. The results suggest, among others, an easy access of the more diversified clientele, such as rural youth and small-scale farmers, to the micro-credit programs.