Social Economic Impact of Microfinance for Women Empowerment (Comparison Analyses in Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina as Post Conflict Countries)

Abstract

Microcredit program is positioned with a potential to transform power relations and empower the poor—both men and women. Increasing up to 3652 microfinance institutions, by reaching about 205.3million clients, from which about 153mil are women, is a very promising progress. While, conflicts cause degradation of both quality of life and economic situation, presence of microfinance institutions was necessary. Microfinance is often hailed both as a tool for fighting poverty and as a tool for post conflict reconciliation. With such weight we say that the functioning and contributions of microfinance institutions have been necessary also in Kosovo, after the war ended in 1999. The impact and almost positive role of microfinance is the obvious in post-conflicts countries where this industry has developed. Therefore, the aim of this paper is focused to see the case in Kosovo, in comparison with the case in Bosnia and Hercegovina, in participating women as a client to microfinance institution. As overall the paper describes the role of importance of microfinance institutions since its established, including in the post conflict countries by focusing on women as responsible client of selected MFIs. By this, we say that the functioning and the contribution of microfinance institutions have been necessary and effective in Kosovo onward, this because of the role of women can have in society especially after the war ended. After work with data, will bring a picture about the number of women as borrowers in MFI in two countries, some remarks at the end of the paper will contribute.

DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2015.v4n3s1p632