| INTRODUCTION:"Nature gave women too much | | | | women. Due to the development of education and |
| power. The law gives them too little".- William | | | | technology, the middle class women have greater |
| HenryIntroduction:India is a democratic and political | | | | preference for white collar jobs. The economic and |
| country with a well streamlined administrative | | | | social empowerment of women in any society is |
| structure, and an already existing mixed economy, | | | | influenced by the extent of their involvement in |
| with a rich experience of private sector operations. | | | | income generating activities outside the household. An |
| Also available in India is a vast stock of skilled | | | | important role is played by the Self Help Groups to |
| manpower and entrepreneurial class, a reasonably | | | | uplift the economic as well as the social status of |
| good basic infrastructure and a good track record of | | | | women in the society.Self Help Group is a |
| fulfilling past international obligations.In this highly | | | | homogenous group of rural poor voluntarily formed |
| competitive world the development of a society is | | | | to save whatever amount they can save |
| highly influenced by productive contribution from each | | | | conveniently out of their earnings and mutually agree |
| member. Contributions from women in different | | | | to contribute to a common fund, to be lent to the |
| walks of life can't be neglected. But the experiences | | | | members for meeting their productive and |
| show that the benefits of development are not | | | | emergency needs. The basic principles on which self |
| equally shared by all sections of the people.The | | | | help groups functions are group approach, mutual |
| status of women in the Indian society:From time | | | | trust, organization of poor, manageable small groups, |
| immemorial women faced the challenges of coping | | | | group cohesiveness, spirit of thrift, demand based |
| with a male chauvinistic society. Even after several | | | | lending and women friendly loans. SHG have been |
| years of planned development in India, the status of | | | | fast emerging as a powerful and alternate banking |
| women in our country is low and their socio-economic | | | | structure to cater to the needs of its members |
| conditions are much more depressed than that of | | | | mostly women. |
| men. The most important factor that have affected | | | | Altogether the self image of the women as |
| non-participation of women in decision making and | | | | respectable source of strength improves significantly |
| governance is the private - public divide associated | | | | within and outside the family, their improved earnings |
| with men and women. Women's place is in the | | | | is spent by them for the education and improved |
| private domain is associated with household. | | | | nutrition of their children, thus paving the way for |
| Whereas, the public domain is associated with political | | | | human resource development in villages.*Impact of |
| authority, public decision making, productive work and | | | | participation of women in SHGs |
| masculinity .Such assumptions have always hindered | | | | ( after two to three years ).....(Results from some |
| women to negotiate in the public domain and they | | | | independent studies) |
| find themselves either being criticized for their | | | | -Average value of assets (livestock, consumer |
| inadequacies or patronized by men. The recent | | | | durables, etc.) per household increased by 72.3 % |
| experience of structured adjustment reveals that the | | | | from Rs. 6,843 (pre-SHG) to Rs. 11,793 |
| women are the most marginalized sections. They are | | | | -59 per cent of the sample households reported |
| destined to a disproportionately larger share of the | | | | increase in assets. |
| burden,iiliteracy and unemployment.Challenges faced | | | | -Housing conditions improved |
| by women: | | | | -All members developed saving habit as against only |
| - Gender disparity in school enrolment and literacy | | | | 23% of households earlier |
| rates | | | | -Average annual savings per household registered |
| - Gender disparity in wage rates | | | | over threefold increase from Rs. 460 to Rs. 1,444 |
| - Women's employment and livelihood opportunities | | | | -Average borrowings per year per household |
| - Causes of gender-based poverty | | | | increased from Rs. 4,282 to Rs. 8,341. |
| - Infant and maternal mortality rates | | | | -Share of consumption loans declined from 50% to |
| - Restrictive fertility control practices | | | | 25%. |
| - Violence against women | | | | -70% of loans taken in post-SHG situation were for |
| - Vulnerability of women in crisis situations | | | | income generating purposes. |
| - Depiction of women in the mediaGrave | | | | -Average net income per household increased by |
| Disappointment in some areas:Marginalization of | | | | 33% from Rs. 20,177 to Rs. 26,88Impact on |
| women as a particular species has put women on a | | | | EmpowermentRelated to Economic Issues % |
| footing with inherited handicaps. It is now generally | | | | members |
| accepted that unless women constitute a 'Critical | | | | -contributing to family income 65 |
| Mass'of at least one third of those in decision making | | | | -% share of contribution to family income 40 |
| their presence makes little difference to the | | | | -feeling improvement in financial status 89 |
| outcomes of governance. Experiences from different | | | | -feel enhanced contribution to household incomeafter |
| countries reveal that the struggle is on, but | | | | joining the group 74 |
| mainstreaming gender as an institution and cultural | | | | -feeling consulted in finance related decisions |
| transformation process should continue to eliminate | | | | 60Related to Self Development-(of those) earlier |
| gender biases in development and governance | | | | unable to but now able to write |
| frameworks.Impact of education and technology:The | | | | their names (after joining the group 100 |
| challenge of development in the broadest sense is to | | | | -not formally educated, now read forms in banks 42 |
| improve the quality of life which generally calls for | | | | -read newspapers regularly or occasionally 41 |
| better education, higher standards of health and | | | | -more confident in taking decisions on their own 66 |
| nutrition, a cleaner environment, more equality of | | | | -feel recognised in family 59 |
| opportunity, greater individual freedom and a richer | | | | -feel being increasingly consulted by other women |
| cultural life. Development, being a human centered | | | | 44 |
| process is obvious but until women reach the same | | | | -feel more confident in dealing with people 75 |
| footing as men, special attention for empowerment is | | | | -feel more confident in dealing with variousinstitutions |
| called for. Empowerment is a multi dimensional | | | | with which they interact regularly 59 |
| process which enables an individual to realize his or | | | | -regularly attend Village Meetings 41 |
| her potential. In the light of the above background it | | | | -cast their votes in last local elections and |
| is clear that empowering women will change the | | | | 96Interactions with Others and Local Level Decision |
| destinies of nations. | | | | Making*Source: SHG - Bank linkage program status as |
| Education is the most important instrument through | | | | on 31st march 2004, NABARD.Recommendations |
| which human resources can be developed. Education | | | | :-Enable women to overcome barriers and constraints |
| enables people to acquire basic skills and inculcate | | | | to their economic productivity. |
| abilities which are helpful in raising the social and | | | | -Addressing gender gaps in governance |
| economic status of women. Education helps to | | | | -Engendering different institutions for good |
| expand the economic opportunities for women. | | | | governance |
| Higher female literacy is associated with better | | | | -To form and strengthen women's groups to play an |
| hygiene, lower infant mortality, better family nutrition, | | | | active role in the social change. |
| reduced fertility and lower population growth rates. | | | | -Remove illiteracy through women participation in |
| Education has been included in the successive five | | | | education |
| year plans as a major program for the development | | | | -Enable women to use modern science and |
| of women. | | | | technology |
| Today women are and integral part of the new | | | | -Flooding the rural areas with quality SHG |
| economic order and play an important part in the | | | | -Encourage NGO'sR.GAYATHRI SARAVANAN M.A., |
| economy. In India, women in lower income groups | | | | M. Phil. |
| were the first to enter into the labor market to earn | | | | Email: gayathri_srvnn @yahoo.co. |
| their livelihood who were followed by middle class | | | | |