Self-Help Groups and Women Empowerment

Abstract

Women empowerment refers to increasing the political, social or economic strength of women. Women empowerment is a global issue. The SHG movement worldwide aimed at systematically empowering marginalized grass root level women by way of conscientization, income generation and capacity building. "Women's Empowerment" is the ability to exercise full control over one's actions. The empowerment of women occurs in reality, when women achieve increasing control and participation in decision making that leads to their better access to resources. It often involves the empowered ones developing confidence in their own capacity. Empowerment is a multi-dimensional process, which should enable women or groups of women to realize full identity and power in all spheres of life.The concept of self-help group has its roots in rural areas and it has been mooted along the rural and semi-urban women to improve their living conditions. Though it is applicable to men in our country, but it has been more successful only among women and they can start economic activities through SHG movement.