| By: |
Giulia Ferrari;
Radha Iyengar |
| Abstract: |
The empowerment of women within households remains a major issue around the
worldincluding in Africa. We have conducted a study in Burundi coupling
discussion sessions withmicrofinancing to determine if they enhance the role
of women in decisions regardinghousehold purchases and the reduction of
domestic violence. We compare our findings to thatfrom a published study in
South Africa that combined discussion sessions on life skills andhealth on
reduction in domestic violence and decisions on economic issues. Both studies
usedrandomized controlled experiments. Both studies show a trend towards
increases inhousehold authority, with the Burundi study showing statistical
significance. In South Africathere was a large, albeit short lived decrease in
domestic violence. In Burundi there was smallreduction but trend suggest a
longer duration. The effects on overall empowerment are small.These studies
suggest that a more sustained use of discussion sessions could be
beneficial.Future research could focus on the longer term effects of the use
of discussion sessions andinvestigate how the observed impacts can be
sustained in magnitude and duration. |
| Keywords: |
domestic violence, microfinance, Burundi |
| JEL: |
J12 J18 |
| Date: |
2010–10 |
| URL: |
http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cep:cepdps:dp1010&r=mfd |