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Abstract
Gender equality is the cornerstone of every democratic society which aspires to social justice and equal treatment. In most societies and spheres of activity, women are subject to all kinds of inequalities. This situation is both caused and exacerbated by the discrimination in the family and in the community. Gender inequality refers to unequal treatment or perceptions of individuals based on their gender. One such form of gender inequality to the women is with regard to the access to banking services. The need to afford bank credit to women on an equitable basis has been frequently highlighted in the literature. Lack of credit restrains economic opportunities available to women resulting in intensifying their economic and social deprivation. In recent years, there have been policy efforts towards enhancing the access to bank credit and deposits for women with the help of micro finance, or finance to self-help groups (SHGs).