| INTRODUCTION: | | | | program for the development of women. |
| "Nature gave women too much power. The law gives | | | | Today women are and integral part of the new |
| them too little". - William Henry | | | | economic order and play an important part in the |
| Introduction: | | | | economy. In India, women in lower income groups |
| India is a democratic and political country with a well | | | | were the first to enter into the labor market to earn |
| streamlined administrative structure, and an already | | | | their livelihood who were followed by middle class |
| existing mixed economy, with a rich experience of | | | | women. Due to the development of education and |
| private sector operations. Also available in India is a | | | | technology, the middle class women have greater |
| vast stock of skilled manpower and entrepreneurial | | | | preference for white collar jobs. The economic and |
| class, a reasonably good basic infrastructure and a | | | | social empowerment of women in any society is |
| good track record of fulfilling past international | | | | influenced by the extent of their involvement in income |
| obligations. | | | | generating activities outside the household. An |
| In this highly competitive world the development of a | | | | important role is played by the Self Help Groups to |
| society is highly influenced by productive contribution | | | | uplift the economic as well as the social status of |
| from each member. Contributions from women in | | | | women in the society. |
| different walks of life can't be neglected. But the | | | | Self Help Group is a homogenous group of rural poor |
| experiences show that the benefits of development | | | | voluntarily formed to save whatever amount they can |
| are not equally shared by all sections of the people. | | | | save conveniently out of their earnings and mutually |
| The status of women in the Indian society: | | | | agree to contribute to a common fund, to be lent to |
| From time immemorial women faced the challenges of | | | | the members for meeting their productive and |
| coping with a male chauvinistic society. Even after | | | | emergency needs. The basic principles on which self |
| several years of planned development in India, the | | | | help groups functions are group approach, mutual trust, |
| status of women in our country is low and their | | | | organization of poor, manageable small groups, group |
| socio-economic conditions are much more depressed | | | | cohesiveness, spirit of thrift, demand based lending and |
| than that of men. The most important factor that have | | | | women friendly loans. SHG have been fast emerging |
| affected non-participation of women in decision making | | | | as a powerful and alternate banking structure to cater |
| and governance is the private - public divide | | | | to the needs of its members mostly women. |
| associated with men and women. Women's place is in | | | | Altogether the self image of the women as |
| the private domain is associated with household. | | | | respectable source of strength improves significantly |
| Whereas, the public domain is associated with political | | | | within and outside the family, their improved earnings is |
| authority, public decision making, productive work and | | | | spent by them for the education and improved nutrition |
| masculinity .Such assumptions have always hindered | | | | of their children, thus paving the way for human |
| women to negotiate in the public domain and they find | | | | resource development in villages. |
| themselves either being criticized for their inadequacies | | | | *Impact of participation of women in SHGs |
| or patronized by men. The recent experience of | | | | ( after two to three years ).....(Results from some |
| structured adjustment reveals that the women are the | | | | independent studies)oAverage value of assets |
| most marginalized sections. They are destined to a | | | | (livestock, consumer durables, etc.) per household |
| disproportionately larger share of the burden,iiliteracy | | | | increased by 72.3 % from Rs. 6,843 (pre-SHG) to Rs. |
| and unemployment. | | | | 11,793o59 per cent of the sample households reported |
| Challenges faced by women:o Gender disparity in | | | | increase in assets.oHousing conditions improvedoAll |
| school enrolment and literacy rateso Gender disparity | | | | members developed saving habit as against only 23% |
| in wage rateso Women's employment and livelihood | | | | of households earlieroAverage annual savings per |
| opportunitieso Causes of gender-based povertyo | | | | household registered over threefold increase from Rs. |
| Infant and maternal mortality rateso Restrictive fertility | | | | 460 to Rs. 1,444oAverage borrowings per year per |
| control practiceso Violence against womeno | | | | household increased from Rs. 4,282 to Rs. |
| Vulnerability of women in crisis situationso Depiction of | | | | 8,341.oShare of consumption loans declined from 50% |
| women in the media | | | | to 25%.o70% of loans taken in post-SHG situation |
| Grave Disappointment in some areas: | | | | were for income generating purposes.oAverage net |
| Marginalization of women as a particular species has | | | | income per household increased by 33% from Rs. |
| put women on a footing with inherited handicaps. It is | | | | 20,177 to Rs. 26,88 |
| now generally accepted that unless women constitute | | | | Impact on Empowerment |
| a 'Critical Mass'of at least one third of those in decision | | | | Related to Economic Issues |
| making their presence makes little difference to the | | | | % membersocontributing to family income |
| outcomes of governance. Experiences from different | | | | 65o% share of contribution to family income |
| countries reveal that the struggle is on, but | | | | 40ofeeling improvement in financial status |
| mainstreaming gender as an institution and cultural | | | | 89ofeel enhanced contribution to household income |
| transformation process should continue to eliminate | | | | after joining the group |
| gender biases in development and governance | | | | 74ofeeling consulted in finance related decisions |
| frameworks. | | | | 60 |
| Impact of education and technology: | | | | Related to Self Developmento(of those) earlier unable |
| The challenge of development in the broadest sense is | | | | to but now able to writetheir names (after joining the |
| to improve the quality of life which generally calls for | | | | group |
| better education, higher standards of health and | | | | 100onot formally educated, now read forms in banks |
| nutrition, a cleaner environment, more equality of | | | | 42oread newspapers regularly or occasionally |
| opportunity, greater individual freedom and a richer | | | | 41omore confident in taking decisions on their own |
| cultural life. Development, being a human centered | | | | 66ofeel recognised in family |
| process is obvious but until women reach the same | | | | 59ofeel being increasingly consulted by other women |
| footing as men, special attention for empowerment is | | | | 44ofeel more confident in dealing with people |
| called for. Empowerment is a multi dimensional process | | | | 75ofeel more confident in dealing with |
| which enables an individual to realize his or her | | | | variousinstitutions with which they interact regularly |
| potential. In the light of the above background it is clear | | | | 59oregularly attend Village Meetings |
| that empowering women will change the destinies of | | | | 41ocast their votes in last local elections and 96 |
| nations. | | | | Interactions with Others and Local Level Decision |
| Education is the most important instrument through | | | | Making |
| which human resources can be developed. Education | | | | *Source: SHG - Bank linkage program status as on |
| enables people to acquire basic skills and inculcate | | | | 31st march 2004, NABARD. |
| abilities which are helpful in raising the social and | | | | Recommendations:oEnable women to overcome |
| economic status of women. Education helps to | | | | barriers and constraints to their economic |
| expand the economic opportunities for women. Higher | | | | productivity.oAddressing gender gaps in |
| female literacy is associated with better hygiene, lower | | | | governanceoEngendering different institutions for good |
| infant mortality, better family nutrition, reduced fertility | | | | governanceoTo form and strengthen women's groups |
| and lower population growth rates. Education has been | | | | to play an active role in the social change. |
| included in the successive five year plans as a major | | | | |