A Brief Account of Women Empowerment through Self-Help Groups -A Case Study

Women form a vital part of India's work force and play a very significant role with in and outside home. The future of mankind is linked to the development of women's potential and their economic independence. An attempt has been made to analyse the status of 40 Self Help Groups (comprised of 446 farm women) from nine villages of Baijnath block of District Kangra (Himachal Pradesh). Data were collected through interviews, discussions and observations. It was found that maximum duration of the groups was three years and majority of them were registered (92.5%) and 82% of them were doing inter-loaning. Women were using this money for general requirements like clothes, cosmetics and grocery items (51%), renovation of house (41.6%), marriage in own family (36.5%), health problems (34.8%). Exposure to outside world (91.3%), confidence among the members (78.8%), economic security (77.5 %) and cooperation among members (73.8%) were the main benefits reported by majority of SHG members. These groups were regular in money collection, maintenance of registers, discussion on utilization of money collected, socialization, discussing the social problems and religious activities during monthly meetings.