Year: 2014 | Month: July | Volume 59 | Special Issue
Effectiveness of SHGs in Improving Livelihood Security and Gender Empowerment
Abstract:
To achieve a satisfactory level of human development, it is imperative for all individuals to enjoy a sense of security. Self-help Groups (SHGs), besides being a microfinance mechanism are a method to implement developmental schemes at the grass root level and also help the marginalized community come together to solve their problems through participatory approach. In this study, an attempt has been made to assess the effectiveness of self-help groups in their developmental influences on the livelihood security and gender empowerment. In all 80 SHG members were selected through purposive and random sampling methods. The present study purposively included both women and men, successful and non successful self help groups so as to analyze the effectiveness of SHGs for genders empowerment. Data were collected through personal interview using pre-tested structured interview schedule and focused group discussions. In successful SHGs the upper age was 45 years, in non-successful SHG majority of respondents were in age group of 46 years and above. Among women’s successful group majority of the members (45per cent) were educated up to secondary level and 90% of respondents were educated up to secondary level in men SHGs. In case of non-successful women SHG forty 5% respondents were illiterate while 55% were educated up to primary level. There was a definite improvement on all aspects related to empowerment and livelihood security after joining the SHGs as compared to before joining the SHG as there was positive impact in all types of groups. This may be due to the fact that the group processes improve the human capability of its members to deal with life conditions with confidence in a better way
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