Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore how vulnerabilities arising from physical impairments, age, widowhood, forced displacement due to war or natural disasters and sexual orientation affect women’s microfinance-related entrepreneurial activities and economic empowerment.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is a structured literature review and uses preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) method. The paper also uses agency, resources and achievement dimensions of empowerment to assess the findings.

Findings

This study reveals that although microfinance services promote women entrepreneurship, they also exacerbate exclusion and further discrimination. Individual-, household-, institutional- and community-level structures shape women’s agencies to access and use loans and conduct entrepreneurial activities; hence, ultimately economic empowerment.

Originality/value

The originality of this paper arises from the conceptual model we synthesised from our review which illustrates how vulnerable women’s agency is shaped by resources and how it affects their achievements in relation to entrepreneurial activities.

中文翻译：

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通过创业赋权弱势小额信贷妇女：机遇、挑战和前进之路

目的

本研究的目的是探讨因身体损伤、年龄、丧偶、因战争或自然灾害而被迫流离失所以及性取向导致的脆弱性如何影响女性与小额信贷相关的创业活动和经济赋权。

设计/方法/方法

本文是一篇结构化的文献综述，并使用系统评价和荟萃分析 (PRISMA) 方法的首选报告项目。本文还使用授权的代理、资源和成就维度来评估调查结果。

发现

这项研究表明，虽然小额信贷服务促进了女性创业，但它们也加剧了排斥和进一步的歧视。个人、家庭、机构和社区层面的结构塑造了妇女机构获得和使用贷款以及开展创业活动；因此，最终是经济赋权。

原创性/价值

本文的独创性源于我们从综述中综合的概念模型，该模型说明了脆弱的女性能动性是如何被资源塑造的，以及它如何影响她们在创业活动中的成就。