GREEN FINANCING PRACTICES AND WOMEN EMPOWERMENT OF MICROFINANCE

Abstract

This study is examined green financing practices and women empowerment of microfinance. The main objectives of this study are to assess the current status of green financing practices and women empowerment of microfinance, to examine the relationship between green financing practices and women empowerment of microfinance and to analyze the impact of green financing practices and women empowerment of microfinance in Jhapa District, Nepal. Income level, Ownership of assets, Family support, Decision making power and Freedom of mobility are the independent variables whereas economic empowerment and social empowerment are the dependent variables. Demographic, Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and multiple regression are used to present data. The major finding of this study were the correlation matrix highlights that economic, social, and family factors are strongly interlinked. The relationships between variables such as income, asset ownership, and empowerment demonstrate that these dimensions mutually reinforce each other, indicating that wealth and support systems significantly contribute to individual empowerment. While all relationships are statistically significant, some variables, particularly family support, economic empowerment, and freedom of mobility, show stronger correlations, emphasizing their critical role in shaping individuals' economic and social empowerment. The most significant predictors of Economic Empowerment are Ownership of Assets, Family Support, and Decision-Making Power, all of which have positive and statistically significant relationships with Economic Empowerment. Among these, Ownership of Assets has the strongest effect, followed by Family Support and Decision-Making Power. While Income Level and Freedom of Mobility also show positive relationships with Economic Empowerment, their effects are not statistically significant in this model. Ownership of Assets, Family Support, and Decision-Making Power are the most significant predictors of Social Empowerment. These variables are statistically significant at conventional levels, meaning that they have a meaningful impact on Social Empowerment. On the other hand, Income Level and Freedom of Mobility do not exhibit statistically significant relationships with Social Empowerment in this model.