Question

What is the role of self-help group (SHG) in women empowerment?

Hint:

SHG impact in 3Es: \textbf{Earnings, Empowerment, and Engagement} (in community/governance).

Answer 1

Step 1: What is an SHG?
An SHG is a small, voluntary group (usually 10–20 women) that saves regularly and accesses microcredit collectively, often linked to banks.
Step 2: Economic empowerment.
Access to collateral-free loans enables micro-enterprises, income generation, asset creation, and reduced dependence on moneylenders.
Step 3: Social empowerment.
Regular meetings build confidence, solidarity, negotiation skills; women start participating in household and community decisions.
Step 4: Capacity building.
Training in financial literacy, bookkeeping, entrepreneurship, digital payments enhances skills and employability.
Step 5: Access to services & rights.
SHGs act as a platform to access government schemes (health, sanitation, pensions, insurance) and raise awareness on rights, education, and health.
Step 6: Political participation & voice.
Federated SHGs help women engage in local governance (Gram Sabhas), sometimes leading to leadership roles.
Step 7: Conclusion.
SHGs transform women from beneficiaries to decision-makers, achieving economic security and social dignity.