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Approach

• Explain Self help groups briefly.
• Elaborate the role of SHGs in empowering women.
• Discuss the related concerns.
• Give conclusion.

Introduction

A self-help group (SHG) is a voluntary association of men or women in similar economic conditions. The members of the group make small savings for a duration of time until they have enough capital in the group to start their own lending process. These funds can then be utilised for lending purposes (to members or other people). SHG movement in India gained momentum after 1992, when NABARD realised its potential and started promoting it.

How SHGs empower rural women

• Make rural women aware of their basic rights: SHGs help rural women in getting educated and knowing their basic fundamental rights and laws.
• Help rural women in getting employment: The women SHGs play an instrumental role in arranging for various kinds of trainings for rural women relating to improved farming practices, livestock development, sewing, bookkeeping and general management. These trainings open up various employment opportunities for the rural women.
• Boost self-confidence and enhance social status: SHGs help rural women become financially independent which in turn builds their confidence and also enhances the social status of the family to which the women belong.
• Increase community participation of the rural women: Not only women SHGs educate the rural women but also increase their community participation.
  
  • They help the rural women in knowing their right to vote and even motivate them to take part in the local governance and village development process. This helps in their political empowerment.
• Spreads awareness about social issues: Rural India is still plagued by social evils like dowry system, child marriage, caste system, domestic violence, alcoholism, etc.
  
  • SHGs take the task of eliminating these evils by creating awareness, by promoting girl child education, conducting campaigns and meetings with the families of the rural women to bring about a social change.
• SHGs help in inculcating the habit of saving and using banking facilities among the members. The saving habit thus strengthens the bargaining capacity of the women and they are in a better position to acquire loans for productive purposes.
  
  • The women gain from collective wisdom in managing their finances and distributing the benefits among themselves.
• The SHGs play a major role in sensitising more women to form SHGs and in making them realise its importance in their empowerment.

SHGs helps in changing the gender dynamics of power within a family and ultimately the society at large. They now have greater say in the family matters and also are seen as stakeholders and partners in taking the community forward. The financial independence has eventually paved the way for societal upliftment of women and their voices.

Examples of SHGs helping women empowerment in India

• Sewa Kaushal Vikas Kendra (SKVK) project in Uttarakhand by SEWA International incorporates SHGs to drive change throughout the region by skill development and agriculture. It is a shining example of how women have moved forward not in fraternity, as a brotherhood but in their own unique sisterhood, lifting each other up, nourishing each other with love and support.
• Members of Sorath Mahila Vikas Mandali (SMVM), an umbrella organisation connecting nearly 500 self-help groups (SHGs) in Gir region of Gujarat are fighting social taboos by helping widows to lead a better life.

Concerns Related to the SHGs in India

• Ignorance of members: Even though the authorities take measures for creating awareness among the group members about the schemes beneficial to them, still majority of the group are unaware of the schemes of assistance offered to them.
• Inadequate training facilities: The training facilities given to the members of SHGs in the specific areas of product selection, quality of products, production techniques, managerial ability, packing, other technical knowledge etc are not adequate to compete with that of strong units.
• Lack of stability especially among women SHGs: In the case of SHGs dominated by women, it is found that there is no stability of the units as many married women are not in a position to associate with the group due to the shift in their place of residence.
• Weak financial management: It is also found that in certain units the return from the business is not properly invested further in the units, and the funds diverted for other personal and domestic purposes like marriage, construction of house etc.

Conclusion

Self Help Groups empower women, in terms of better leadership, decision making, utility, and skill up gradation. Encouraging entrepreneurship through SHGs can help in eliminating the power imbalance in the society.