Financial Inclusion Strategies as Mechanisms for Mitigating Domestic Violence Against Women (SDGs 5, 8, & 16)

Domestic violence against women remains a widespread global issue, significantly impeding gender equality, economic development, and the establishment of peaceful societies (SDGs 5, 8, & 16). This study explores the impact of financial inclusion strategies in mitigating domestic violence against women. Drawing on secondary evidence sourced from peer-reviewed literature, global databases, and institutional reports, grounded on an integrated theoretical framework combining Resource Theory with the Theory of Gender and Power. The study elucidates how financial inclusion may boost women's bargaining power, broaden their economic resources, and challenge established gender hierarchies. Findings show that financial inclusion significantly mitigates domestic violence when interventions are tailored to the specific context, promote gender equality, and are underpinned by strong institutional frameworks. The study makes recommendations for four principal stakeholders: policymakers should formulate gender-responsive financial inclusion policies; financial institutions are encouraged to create accessible and secure financial products tailored for women; civil society organizations are advised to implement community-based financial literacy and empowerment initiatives; and development partners are called upon to finance and oversee programs that blend economic empowerment with the prevention of gender-based violence. By doing so, strategic implementation of financial inclusion can serve as an effective mechanism to enhance women's safety and agency, thereby contributing to sustainable development and gender equality.

Domestic violence; financial inclusion; gender power; resource theory; women’s economic empowerment.

1. Ade, N. P. (2021). Rethinking the implications of the patriarchic system of male dominance and female subordination in the twenty first century. International Journal of Sustainability Management and Information Technologies, 5(1), 1–6. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Ahmed, S. I., Haque, M. R., Chen, J., & Dell, N. (2017). Digital privacy challenges with shared mobile phone use in Bangladesh. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, 1(CSCW), 1–20. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Baranov, V., Cameron, L., Contreras Suarez, D., & Thibout, C. (2021). Theoretical underpinnings and meta-analysis of the effects of cash transfers on intimate partner violence in low- and middle-income countries. The Journal of Development Studies, 57(1), 1–25. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Byrt, A., Cook, K., & Burgin, R. (2025). Addressing economic abuse in intimate-partner violence interventions: A Bacchian analysis of responsibility. Journal of Family Violence, 40(2), 419–433. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Dulhunty, A. (2023). Disciplinary mobility and women’s empowerment: A complicated connection. Mobilities, 18(2), 282–296. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Eggers del Campo, I., & Steinert, J. I. (2022). The effect of female economic empowerment interventions on the risk of intimate partner violence: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 23(3), 810–826. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Esmaeil Zaei, M., Kapil, P., Pelekh, O., & Teimoury Nasab, A. (2018). Does micro-credit empower women through self-help groups? Evidence from Punjab, Northern India. Societies, 8(3), 48. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Fordjour, G. A., Amoah, P., & Chan, C. L. W. (2025). Gender Equality and Decent Work Environment in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Review and Future Agenda towards Sustainable Development. Gender and Sustainability in the Global South, 2-36 https://doi.org/10.1515/gsgs-2024-0014 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Goode, W. J. (1971). Force and violence in the family. Journal of Marriage and Family, 33(4), 624–636. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Hope Sr, K. R. (2020). Peace, justice and inclusive institutions: overcoming challenges to the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 16. Global Change, Peace & Security, 32(1), 57-77. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Horn, R., Puffer, E. S., Roesch, E., & Lehmann, H. (2014). Women’s perceptions of effects of war on intimate partner violence and gender roles in two post-conflict West African countries: Consequences and unexpected opportunities. Conflict and Health, 8(1), 12. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Kabeer, N. (2021). Gender equality, inclusive growth, and labour markets. In Women’s economic empowerment (pp. 13–48). Routledge. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Kanchi, S., Phalke, V., Joglekar, S., & Kadam, P. (2024). Women empowerment in financial literacy. IPE Journal of Management, 14(21), 110–115. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Koomson, I., Villano, R. A., & Hadley, D. (2020). Effect of financial inclusion on poverty and vulnerability to poverty: Evidence using a multidimensional measure of financial inclusion. Social Indicators Research, 149(2), 613–639. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Kyeyune, G. N., & Ntayi, J. M. (2025). Empowering rural communities: The role of financial literacy and management in sustainable development. Frontiers in Human Dynamics, 6, 1424126 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Leight, J., Cullen, C., Ranganathan, M., & Yakubovich, A. (2023). Effectiveness of community mobilisation and group-based interventions for preventing intimate partner violence against women in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Global Health, 13, 04115. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Leite, T. H., Moraes, C. L. D., Marques, E. S., Caetano, R., Braga, J. U., & Reichenheim, M. E. (2019). Women economic empowerment via cash transfer and microcredit programs: Is it enough to decrease intimate partner violence? Evidence from a systematic review. Cadernos de Saúde Pública, 35, e00174818. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. Lukwa, A. T., Odunitan-Wayas, F., Lambert, E. V., Alaba, O. A., & “Savings for Health” IDRC Collaborators. (2022). Can informal savings groups promote food security and transformative changes among women in urban Sub-Saharan Africa? A narrative systematic review. Sustainability, 14(6), 3153. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Ma, N., Chen, S., Kong, Y., Chen, Z., Geldsetzer, P., Zeng, H., ... & Li, Z. (2023). Prevalence and changes of intimate partner violence against women aged 15–49 years in 53 low- and middle-income countries (2000–2021). The Lancet Global Health, 11(12), e1863–e1873. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. Mbaula, W. (2019). Contribution of social transfer interventions towards universal health coverage in Dodoma Region, Tanzania (Doctoral dissertation, University of Dodoma). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. Maharaj, Z. (1995). A social theory of gender: Connell's Gender and Power. Feminist Review, 49(1), 50-65. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. Nziku, D. M., & Struthers, J. J. (2018). Female entrepreneurship in Africa: Strength of weak ties in mitigating principal–agent problems. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 25(3), 349–367. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

23. Obisike, E. E., & Adalikwu-Obisike, J. (2021). Gender-sensitive health and social policy and programs: Fundamental mechanisms for sustainable gender-equitable access to health and social services. International Journal of Gender Studies in Developing Societies, 4(1), 36–51. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

24. Onileowo, T. T. (2019). Motivational factors of women entrepreneurs in Ado, Ekiti State: An empirical appraisal. World Journal of Entrepreneurial Development Studies, 4(1), 2695–2483. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

25. Onileowo, T. T., & Fasiku, A. I. (2021). The concept and application of ICT on SMEs performance in Nigeria: Limitation and challenges. E-Academia Journal, 10(1), 1–8. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

26. Onileowo, T. T., Muharam, F. M., & Ramily, M. K. (2022). Financial structure and business development in Southwest Nigeria. Journal of Hunan University Natural Sciences, 49(10). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

27. Ranabahu, N., & Tanima, F. A. (2022). Empowering vulnerable microfinance women through entrepreneurship: Opportunities, challenges, and the way forward. International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, 14(2), 145–166. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

28. Radtke, H. L., Morgan, M., & Rogerson, A. (2023). Power, gender, and intimate partner abuse: Empowerment, patriarchy, and discourse. In The Palgrave Handbook of Power, Gender, and Psychology (477–498). Springer. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

29. Rustamova, N., Sharifzoda, S., Burxanxodjaeva, X., Rahimqulova, L., Turdialiev, M., Nurullaev, F., & Eshchanova, D. (2025). Social protection in developing countries: Legal, economic, and social trends. Qubahan Academic Journal, 5(1), 118–149. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

30. Saha, S. K., & Qin, J. (2023). Financial inclusion and poverty alleviation: An empirical examination. Economic Change and Restructuring, 56(1), 409–440. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

31. Saluja, O. B., Singh, P., & Kumar, H. (2023). Barriers and interventions on the way to empower women through financial inclusion: A 20-year systematic review (2000–2020). Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 10(1), 1–14. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

32. Schmalz, S., Ludwig, C., & Webster, E. (2018). The power resources approach: Developments and challenges. Global Labour Journal, 9(2). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

33. Schneider, M. C., Holman, M. R., Diekman, A. B., & McAndrew, T. (2016). Power, conflict, and community: How gendered views of political power influence women’s political ambition. Political Psychology, 37(4), 515–531. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

34. Scott, K., Shinde, A., Ummer, O., Yadav, S., Sharma, M., Purty, N., ... & LeFevre, A. E. (2021). Freedom within a cage: How patriarchal gender norms limit women’s use of mobile phones in rural central India. BMJ Global Health, 6(5), e005596. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

35. Sen, G., Govender, V., & El-Gamal, S. (2018). Universal health coverage, gender equality and social protection: A health systems approach. UN Women. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

36. Shahi, A. (2024). Role of microfinance on entrepreneurship capacity building. Journal of Nepalese Management and Research, 6(1), 156–172. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

37. Siano, A., Raimi, L., Palazzo, M., & Panait, M. C. (2020). Mobile banking as an innovative solution for increasing financial inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from Nigeria. Sustainability, 12(23), 10130. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

38. Sikka, V., & Bhayana, P. (2024). Barriers to comprehensive financial inclusion across the globe: From sociocultural norms to systemic challenges. In E-financial strategies for advancing sustainable development (89–126). Springer. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

39. Simon, R., & Hasan, S. (2025). Patriarchy and gender inequality: A comprehensive analysis of women’s empowerment in contemporary India. Gender Issues, 42(1), 7. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

40. Williams, A., Wamue-Ngare, G., Malelu-Gitau, A., Heise, L., Glass, N., Edeh, C., ... & Decker, M. R. (2025). A systematic review of microfinance interventions and violence against women in low- and middle-income contexts. BMJ Global Health, 10(4). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

41. Broderick, C. B. (1971). Beyond the five conceptual frameworks: A decade of development in family theory. Journal of marriage and family, 33(1), 139-159. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Drone-Based Phenotyping and its Utilization in Crop Improvement: A Review
• An IoT-Enabled Smart Healthcare Monitoring System Using Machine Learning for Early Health Risk Prediction
• Strategic Integration of Artificial Intelligence for Achieving Operational Excellence in Container Freight Stations Using Evidence from Chennai, India
• Adoption of OTT platforms: Analyzing User Behavior through the UTAUT2 Model
• Customers’ Buying Behaviour in Relation to Online Food Delivery (Evidence from National Capital Region (NCR) of India)