The impact of microfinance on factors empowering women: Differences in regional and delivery mechanisms in India's SHG programme

We examine how the impact on women empowerment varies with respect to the location and type of group linkage of the respondent. Using household survey data from five states in India, we correct for selection bias to estimate a structural equation model. Our results reveal that in the southern states of India empowerment of women takes place through economic factors. For the other states, we find a significant correlation between women empowerment and autonomy in women's decision-making and network, communication and political participation respectively. We do not however find any differential causal impact of different delivery methods (linkage models).