The document discusses several topics related to gender equality and women's empowerment through access to financial services and participation in the labor market and government. It addresses how microcredit programs have helped promote self-employment and increase women's social status in countries like Bangladesh by providing loans to unemployed and poor entrepreneurs, especially women. While microcredit has helped raise living standards and alleviate poverty for some, it is not a complete solution and factory conditions for women in industries like garment production can be unsafe with low wages.

1. Gender Equality Reiko Fukushima