Sewareg Adamu Demelash will examine the links between access to finance, women’s empowerment, and rural food security in Ethiopia. The study will test the hypothesis that women’s increased financial inclusion will lead to women’s empowerment and enhanced household food security, through various pathways such as engagement in non-farm enterprises.  Despite existing literature identifying the potential benefits of financial access for women, evidence on the specific pathways through which it can empower women and improve food security in the Ethiopian context remains limited. Using data from wave 5 of the Ethiopian Socioeconomic Survey, this research will employ quantitative methods to examine how access to financial services influences women’s decision-making power within households, their economic participation and, ultimately, household food security. The findings will inform recommendations on the ways in which increased financial access for women can facilitate engagement in non-farm businesses, thereby fostering their empowerment, and enhancing household food security.