This study examined the determinants of access to credit by the women of Bikhar village in
Trashigang district from both banks and local money lender using both quantitative and
qualitative research methods. For quantitative research, the primary data of 174 heads of the
household from Bikhar village has been employed. The qualitative research is based on the faceto-face
interview with the general manager of BDBL and the local money lender of Bikhar
village. For empirical analysis, the descriptive analysis and inferential bivariate analysis were
used.
A linear regression revealed that mortgage requirements significantly affect access to credit
from BDBL. Gender of the head of the household, duration to approve loan and interest rate
determines Bikhar women’s credit accessibility from the local money lender. The findings from
the qualitative method also support the findings of the quantitative method.
It is concluded that the existing financial institution needs to revisit their policies and regulations
to make favorable conditions whereby its services are user friendly in terms of collateral
security, so that the rural women can access its credit services. Therefore, the future efforts
should focus on the various dynamics that determine the rural women credit access. The
economic empowerment of rural women is found to be an ultimate goal to endeavor rural women
credit accessibility in Bhutan.