This project conducted a randomized evaluation to examine how digital microfinance and structured group-based support interventions influence women’s economic empowerment, household decision-making, and intra-household dynamics in rural Bangladesh. The study compared alternative microfinance delivery models – cash-based versus digital loans and assessed the added effects of structured support sessions designed to promote communication, cooperation, and shared financial decision-making between spouses. The evaluation was conducted across 200 villages in the greater Khulna region and covered 2,400 married couples (4,800 individual respondents), with separate interviews conducted for wives and husbands at both baseline and endline, resulting in a total of 9,600 individual survey interviews. In addition, lab-in-the-field behavioral experiments were conducted with a sub-sample of 1,200 couples at endline to measure cooperation, bargaining, and information-sharing within households. dRi prepared the sampling frame, implemented baseline and endline surveys using tablet-based data collection, ensured strict quality control, and adhered to ethical research protocols. The study generated rigorous evidence on how digital financial services and household-level interventions shaped women’s agency, household financial behavior, and gender norms, contributing to policy-relevant insights on inclusive digital finance and women’s empowerment.
Serial No: 309
Theme: Financial Inclusion
Research Method: Quantiative
Partner: Monash University
Starting Year: 2026
Study Area: Khulna, Satkhira, and Bagerhat districts in the greater Khulna region, Bangladesh
