Microcredit can play role in women’s empowerment, poverty cut: Inu

Despite having some limitations, microcredit can play a role in empowering women and reducing poverty from society, Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu said Thursday.
He was speaking at the launching ceremony of a two-day international conference on 'Gender and Women Empowerment' organised by Institute of Microfinance (InM) in a city hotel.
The Information Minister said MFIs (micro finance institutions) cannot solve all the problems of poverty alleviation or women empowerment alone, but it can be an important tool.
InM Chairman Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad stressed the need for education for the empowerment of women.
"Education is more important than credit for empowerment," he said.
Mr Ahmad said women empowerment, sustainable development, poverty alleviation-these words now have diversified meanings, everybody has to deal these issues with multifarious perspectives.
Executive Director of InM Baqui Khalily said the microcredit sector has kept its steady growth rate in spite of the difficulties in recent times.
"It has come a long way since it began its journey some 30 years ago," Mr Khalily said.
Prof Naila Kabeer of London School of Economics and Political Science presented a paper on Bangladesh experience of women empowerment with regard to microcredit.

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