Vol. 1, Issue 9, Part C (2015)

Abstract
Financial inclusion is the expanding outreach of banking or financial services at an affordable cost to a vast section of disadvantaged groups of society which may provide them a financial cushion for their sustenance as well as social empowerment. In India where women constitute 46% of total population majority of them are denied to opportunities and rights due to their financial dependence. Financial inclusion is much needed for women as it helps in increasing amount of regular savings along with enabling women to pay for micro insurance and obtain credit. It also helps in increasing income from employment and micro enterprise, usage of mainstream banking services that offer appropriate designed products and service. In other words financial inclusion make women informed about their role and right in economic development to improve access to markets and other information for overall empowerment. By helping women to meet their practical needs, micro finance may help women to gain respect and achieve more in their socially defined roles along with wellbeing. This paper mainly deals with- Importance of women’s financial inclusion, Women’s specific financial needs in respect to men’s, Functions of finance and role of women, Growth, development and financial inclusion, Financial literacy as a tool for women empowerment, Institutional framework in India for financial education, Economic and social development of women and financial inclusion, Gender inequality and lack of access to financial services, Certain issues and aspects related with financial inclusion and women empowerment. The paper calls for women empowerment by means of effective financial inclusion and financial literacy by studying the relationship between women empowerment and financial inclusion.