Self Help Groups (SHG):A Tool for Empowerment of Women

As the Paper focuses on the importance of SHGs in empowering women. The history of the SHGs (Self Help Groups) movement has initiated by Bangaldesh Grameen Bank founded by Prof. Mohammed Yunus and in India the SHG movement has been initiated by NABARD in 1986-87.

The negative impact of poverty, illiteracy, unemployment and education is identified as the major obstacle which has contributed to the dispossessed condition of women in many developing nations. Women in India are highly unorganized and facing restricted opportunities to take part in many of the social and economic activities. The low level of skill, lower wages, starvation, poor literacy, and revelation of domestic violence are some of the barriers faced by the Indian women. So, the growing problem of poverty in our country has promoted the economic planners to come up with various programmes to curb poverty. Therefore the Government of India has implemented various schemes to reduce poverty and to promote gainful employment and that showed the way to SHGs (Self Help Groups) movement for empowering poor women flock and thereby removing poverty from India.

Self Help Group formation is one of such efforts which enable the poor to participate in the process of development. The SHGs is an effective medium for inculcating saving habit among poor women flock.

Economic independence and education of women will go a long way in attaining self reliance of women. Women SHGs represent a form of intervention that is a radical departure from most current programmes. They are an effective strategy for poverty alleviation, women development and social empowerment. The women SHGs have enhanced the status of women as participant decision makers and beneficiaries on the democratic, economic, social and cultural spheres of life and sensitized the women members to take active part in socio-economic progress of rural India.

Women will be able to face problems on health and financial crisis and achieve improvements in terms of family disputes. The SHG will generate a significant change in the borrowing habits of households.