From microfinance and skills to women's empowerment: the mediating role of community support in Bangladesh

Purpose This study examines the pathways of women's empowerment facilitated by non-governmental organisations in Bangladesh. It focuses on how access to microfinance, along with training and skill development, influences women's empowerment, while also examining the mediating role of community support and the moderating role of financial literacy. Design/methodology/approach This study is grounded in an integrated framework combining Empowerment Theory, Social Capital Theory, and the Resource-Based View. A quantitative research design was adopted, and data were collected from 443 women in the Cumilla and Chattogram divisions. The data were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Findings The results indicate that both microfinance access and training and skill development significantly enhance women's empowerment, with microfinance access having a stronger direct effect. Community support plays a critical mediating role by transforming financial and skill-based resources into tangible empowerment outcomes. The findings also reveal that financial literacy negatively moderates the relationship between community support and empowerment, suggesting that in strong community contexts, collective mechanisms can substitute for individual financial capability. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by developing and validating an integrated capability chain model that links financial, human, and social capital to women's empowerment. It provides practical insights for designing integrated empowerment programs that combine financial inclusion, skill development, and community-based support.