View of AN EMPIRICAL STUDY ON WOMEN EMPOWERMENT THROUGH SELF HELP GROUPS (SPECIAL REFERENCE TO UJJAIN DISTRICT OF MP)

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Vol. 05,Special Issue 01, (ICOSD-2020) January 2020, Available Online: www.ajeee.co.in/index.php/AJEEE

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AN EMPIRICAL STUDY ON WOMEN EMPOWERMENT THROUGH SELF HELP GROUPS (SPECIAL REFERENCE TO UJJAIN DISTRICT OF MP)

Dr. Deepak Agrawal,

Principal, Laxmi Narian College of Professional Studies, Sanwer Road, Indore

Abstract- As per the Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) (2019) 367 million people still leaves below the poverty line. The major cause is due to unemployment and unequal participation of females in the country. Women's empowerment is autonomy to women all about equipping and allowing women to make life-determining decisions through the different problems in society. It includes developing alternatives for the betterment of the society. They are promoting themselves and significantly contributing to the society through the „Self-Help Groups (SHGs)‟ SHG helps the women to take their own decision and to face challenges and to support the family too. The major credit for women empowerment in rural areas should be given to SHG‟s which not only provide employment opportunities but also provide skill development. To measure the performance of SHP a study was conducted in the Ujjain city of Madhya Pradesh. The study was conducted by primary and secondary methods. The study reviledto educate all the women to make develop of themselves and to develop the economy.The SHGs helps to achieve the social and financial needs.

Keywords: Women empowerment, self-help groups, socio and economic development.

1. INTRODUCTION

The autonomy of women and empowerment relates to political, economic, social and physical and mental health is highly important for a nation. In addition, it is equally essential their achievement for a sustainable development of the mankind.It becomes the joint responsibilities of both women and men for reproductive life, nurturing child and maintenance of the household. Almost to all parts of the world, specially developing nations, women are facing coercions to their lives, finance and health as of all being overburdened with work with lack of financial power and influence to the society.

In underdeveloped nation due to gender discrimination women receive less formal education as compare to male. At the same, women's own knowledge, abilities often go unrecognized. (UNFPA,1994). SHG‟s represent a unique approach to financial intermediation. The approach under SHGs combines access to low-cost financial services along with developing a process of self-management and development for the SHG female members. SHG‟s are formed and supported usually by NGOs or by Government agencies.

SHG‟s are seen to deliberate economic, financial and social benefits.

It helps women to increase their savings and to access the credit which banks earlier not willing to lend. SHG‟s provides acommunity platform from where they can become active in village concerns and community issues. SHG consists of 10-20 local women. Most self-help groups are located in India, although SHG‟s it is also found in other developing countries, especially in South and Southeast Asia (Sohani and Mahajan‟ 2014).

Under here members make small regular savings contributions over a few months until there is enough capital in the group to begin lending.

These may be refunded to the members or to others in the village at low interestrate.

In India, many SHG‟s are 'linked' to banks for the delivery of microcredit (Sohani and Mahajan‟ 2014).Infect, it is association of people who pool together their resources to become financially stable by taking loans from the money collected by that group and objective is to make the group self-employed. Thisgroup ensure proper end-use of available credit and timelyrepayment of the loans.

The major benefit to poor women to get zero collateral fund with nominal or no interest on it as compared to any other microfinance institutions. Further, it leads to enhanced mobility and social interaction of women in the society which generates positiveinfluence, all round development and empowerment ofthe women.

1.1 Empowerment

Empowerment is understood as an aid to reduce gender gap considerably. Empowerment would enable women to perform social roles, which they cannot perform without it.

Moreover, the term empowerment of women is gaining popularity and a wide usage more

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often than terms like women‟s welfare, up liftmen and development or giving awareness. In the India situation, this would mean helping women to enjoy their constitutional and legal right to quality in real life.

Women‟s empowerment in India is heavily dependent on many different variables that include various demographic variables like geographical location, distribution (urban/rural), educational qualifications, social status, family dependence and age. The regulations towards women‟s empowerment in India exist at the various levels like national, state, and regional, Panchayat. It exists at levels in many sectors, which includes various sectors like health, education, and economic opportunities, legal and political involvement.

The year 2001 has been declared by the Government of India as “Women‟s Empowerments Year” to focus on a vision where women are equal partners like men.Since more than 70 years of independence the societal impact of male dominance still can be seen both in rural and urban India, although women‟s empowerment in rural India is much less visible as compared to urban areas (Updhaya‟ 2019). With an estimate approx. 200 million people across the developing world found their way into a self-help group by 2017 (Greaney, Kaboski, and Van Leemput‟ 2016).

In majority, these SHG members are women, as SHG model is believed to be appropriate towards women empowerment based on the idea that collective action is most effective in fighting social organization in which the male is the family head and all decisions are made by male family head.Formation of SHGs is a step ahead towards the women empowerment and making them stand alone, contributed towards the sustainable development of the herself and the society as a whole. The InternationalSustainable Development Goalsaim to ensure there is an end to discrimination against women globally.

2. LITERATURE REVIEW

Self Help Groups are considered to be most significant tools to adopt participatory approach for the women empowerment. SHG‟s help in empowerment of women both social and economically. The women empowerment through SHG‟s would give benefits not only to the individual woman but also to her family and community as a whole through collective action for development.

Ghosh (1995) developed a case study of Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas in Birbhum district of West Bengal. Various women groups were formed in two blocks of the district. Among these groups, only 10 groups were selected for the study on the basis of their performance relate to income generating activities. Socio-metric score of each group member was calculated by applying correlation coefficient matrix, that found to be 0.57. The result indicates a positive relationship between educational status and group cohesiveness.

Kropp (1997) studied SHG‟s in Bangladesh, Indonesia and other parts of Asia Asian countries. According to him institutions have potential to lend rural people without any conventional form of collaterals. Although he admits these institutions are yet to prove their sustainability.

NABARD) (1998) studied credit delivery mechanism evolved in state of Andhra Pradesh. The study revealed several features such as efficient flow of credit, utilization of credit for income generating activities, excellent loan repayment and improved empowerment of SHG group members.

Narasimhan (1999) argues during the previous five decades of economic planning has not done much to improve the standard of Women in India. The primary reasons are women are their fear, ignorance, powerlessness and vulnerability. She emphasizes the need for bringing attitudinal change among them as the most important step towards empowerment. She concludes that besides monetary resources, it is necessary to improve mindset of the policy makers.

Kulshreshta and Gupta (2001) made an attempt to emphasize the importance of financing the poor through Self-Help Groups as this would lead not only to reduce the intensity of poverty but also promote gender equality and socio-economic equality. He discussed the various problems faced by the formal banking sector, the emergence of Micro- Finance and the role of SHG‟s. The authors have concluded that for quick transformation of the poor from dependency to self reliance through social mobilization and awareness creation.

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National Institute of Rural Development (2003) has projected the need for capacity building as a tool to equip and enhance the ability of people to solve their own problems through organized efforts. The study conducted in the selected districts of Kurnool and Mahaboobnagar in Andhra Pradesh. The study detects that the poor women members of SHG‟s are benefited from the Program by improving their economic and social status.

Tripathy (2004) has discussed the vital role of SHG‟s in rural development by saying that SHG‟s are instruments for social mobilization, economic empowerment, capacity and entrepreneurship building, and community solidarity. The author has observed that the SHG‟s provide a great opportunity for convergence of various programs of various ministries and organizations. The author has discussed various areas in which the services of SHG‟s could be tapped.

Sidhu and Kaur (2006), insists that entrepreneurship is the only solution for the growing employment among the rural youth. SHGs help to generate employment for large number of poor people within their own social system.

Rao (2007) given a detailed account of the SHG – Bank Linkage Program and its development between the periods 1999 – 2005. During the first decade of 21^stcentury, micro credit provided by banks emerged as a major policy tool of financial assistance in the area of rural credit, particularly to the poor sections of the society.

Ramachandran and Balakrishnan (2008) have conducted a study of SHG‟s in Kanyakumari District to examine the pre and post SHG status. The study is based on a sample of 120 SHG members selected on random sampling basis. The study has revealed that after joining SHG there had been considerable improvement towards the status of both social and economically.

Ravindra (2010) has traced the origin of SHG‟s in India and analyzed the performance of the SHG‟s along with the development of SHG-Bank Linkage over the years.

He has also discussed about the problems faced by the SHG‟s like illiteracy of the members, lack of proper leadership, dual financing, high rate of interest on bank loan.

Ganapathi and Murugesan (2011) have studied the impact of Micro Finance on economic status of 240 members of SHG‟s operating in Coimbatore District of Tamilnadu.

The findings of the study reveal that the association between economic status of the SHG members and other variables like age, residence, marital status, social status, type of family, size of family, role in SHG, occupation of the member is not significant. They found significant association between the economic status of the SHG members and few variables such as education, monthly income, awareness and participation of the SHG members in SHG‟s.

Tehra (2014) comments towards the importance of SHGs. He says that SHG are formed to solve their common problems. Its shows the SHG‟s to develop saving habits among the members and improve their financial knowledge. This study was carried out in Nanded City where 100 SHG members where interviewed.

Nandini and Sudha (2015) says microfinance plays a vital role in eradicating poverty in countries like India. SHG- Bank Linkage and MFI bank Linkage programs help provide monetary support to the SHG and help empower women in India. The study done in Ramnagar District, Karnataka. This study helps to analyzed the growth of women which had lead them to assets creation, repayment of debts, improved decision making skills, and improved nutrition level in their families.

The above-mentioned literature discusses the importance of SHGs to the various parts of the county but we found a research gap as almost no study was found in Malwa region of MP. The present study tries to study the perception of the localities towards the SHGs and their contribution to the society. He main objective of this article is to examine the role of SHGs in empowering women looking at the case study of he main objective of this article is to examine the role of SHGs in empowering women looking at the case study of.

2.1 Research Objectives

 To study the overview of Self-Help Group.

 To determine the socio-economic impact of Self-Help Group on women.

 To study the problem faced by Self Help Group and to suggest the measure to overcome such problems.

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4 2.2 Hypothesis of the study

 Ho: SHG's are the effective instruments of women empowerment and poverty alleviation.

 H1: SHG's are not effective instruments of women empowerment and poverty alleviation.

3. METHODOLOGY

The methodology uses descriptive analytical approach under where in-depth investigation of SHDs were studied. Data gathered from a variety of sources and by various methods like observation, government reports, newspapers, websites, research papers, journals etc.The primary survey was done with the help of structured questionnaire drafted in Hindi to ascertain the SHGs working below the poverty line.

The study was conducted at Ujjain the pilgrimage city of India and one of the areas inhabited by large number of poor people. The study was conducted at 5 slums areas. The survey was made through 70 samples selected on the basis of convenient sampling people working in SHGs.

The distinct location for SHGs surveyed were:- S. No, Name of zone in

Ujjain

No. of SHGs selected in slums

1 Desai Nagar 12

2 Indra Nagar 14

3 Pawasa 10

4 Gopal-pura 18

5 Shankarpur 16

Total 70

a. Graphs, charts, tables, percentage used for descriptive analysis.

b. Non-parametric Chi-square test to identify the association between various groups of SHG members with respect to the indicators of women empowerment.

4. FINDINGS AND OUTCOMES

 Age Groups of the Respondents: The figure 1 shows the distribution of respondent by age groups.

Figure 1: Age Groups of the Respondents

According to the figure 1, 6 percent respondents belong to the age group of 18-25years, 39 percent of belong to the age group of 26-35 years, 37 percent belong to the age group of 36- 45, 16 percent belong to the age group of 46-55 and 3 percent belong to the age group of 56-65. Thus, it can be seen that majority of the respondent belong to the age group of 26- 35 which can be assumed that young women are more involved in Self-help group.

 Category of the Respondents: According to the figure, 21 percent of the total populations belong to other backward classes, 4 percent belong to the Schedule

56- 65 46-

55 36-

45 26-

35 18-

25

2.

9 5.

7

15.

7 37.

1 38.

6

Perce nt

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caste, 65 percent belong to the Schedule tribe and 10 percent of the population belongs to the General caste.

Table 1: Category of the respondents Category %

SC 04

ST 65

OBC 21

General 10

 Literacy: According to the figure 2, 82.9 percent of the respondents are literate up to the extent of high school and 17.1 percent of the respondents are illiterate.

According to the findings the level of illiteracy is very high. The reason behind is due to family pressure and lack of knowledge.

Figure 2: Literacy

 Marital Status: Out of 70 respondents, 81 percent are married, 6 percent are unmarried, and 13 percent are widowed. At the most member seems to interested in SHG or once they are married. Even small amount of the member who are single or unmarried are also interested to get involved with SHG.

Figure 3: Martial Status

 Family Monthly Income: Among the total respondent of 70, the classification of family income 35 percent of the respondent family's income is between 0- 5,000. 53 percent of the respondent lies to the family's income between 5001-10,000, 12 percent of the respondent family's income found to be above Rs. 10000. As it is

widowed 13%

married 81%

unmarried 6%

married 81%

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obvious from the above data that majority of the respondents measuring about 35 percent are having the least amount of monthly income, we can see that the family economic condition of the members of the SHG are not well enough.

Table 2: Monthly Family Income Family Monthly Income %

<5000 35

5000-10000 53

>10000 12

100

 Family Monthly Expenditures and Savings: As compare to their family income respondents were inquired about monthly savings and expenditures. 65 percent respond there was no savings as all the income earned are used in daily livelihood.

25 percent agreed there is small savings of maximum Rs. 1000 per month due to high cost of living and the remaining 10 percent agreed of savings above Rs 3000 per month.It remarks the most of family income is consumed for the daily living and it could not be possible without the help of female earning, which could be possible due to SHGs

 Monthly income before and after joining SHG: The respondents were asked about the change is the level of income earned before and after joining the SHG. The considerable difference was found amongst them as presented on the table 3 below:

Table 3: Monthly income before and after joining SHG

Average family income before SHG

% Average family income after SHG

%

<3000 90 <5000 35

3000-5000 8.6 5000-10000 53

>5000 1.4 >10000 12

Total 100 Total 100

 Improvement to the status of SHGs Women in the Community: The respondents were asked about the improvement in the status after joining SHGs. They all admitted ‘Yes’ there have been improvement in the social status but, still they agreed there is gender inequality. Out of 70 respondent’s 56 percent of the respondents have improved their status in the community after joining the SHG and 44 percent of the respondent status has remained the same.

5. OUTCOMES

1. Between the age group of 26-45 years most of the respondents seems to be interested in SHG and they tend to take part in income generating activities.

However, the enrollment to SHGs reduces with their increasing age.

2. From the findings, the level of literacy effect greatly in choice and decision makings of the SHGs women.

3. To the large extent married women decision-making power still held by their husband or in-laws.

4. SHGs improves their family income so that with the increase in the monthly expenditures indicates better living standards. They were able to send their children towards better education and enjoyed better social status in the society as compared to before.

5. Reason for joining SHG by the members is mainly economic gain and self- improvement and to take active participation in social activities.

6. By applying Chi -square test it clearly demonstrates that SHG's are the effective instruments of women empowerment and poverty alleviation.

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7 6. RECOMMENDATIONS

The Self-Help Groups in the study area are working in a successful manner in the lives of the women associated to it. But there is certain drawback which requires special attention in order to attain more sustainability, success of the group.

1. The training that are conducted for the self-development of the SHG members inculcate the habit of saving, loan facility, opportunity for entrepreneurial development and increase the income earning capacity are exposed through conducting large number of awareness programs. It is the role of the village headperson or the group leaders to arrange these types of awareness programs.

2. The SHGs are too enlightened on the importance EDP. The participation of this training program will certainly have its impact on developing entrepreneurial skill, increasing employment opportunities and generating income earning capacity.

3. The members who have interest in starting micro enterprises are to be identified and they should be encouraged in participating Enterprise Development Program.

4. Every member could be given the chance to lead the group so that everyone gets an opportunity to enhance their leadership quality.

5. It is suggested that Government and Non-Government Organization jointly draw efforts to enlighten the members for proper utilization of loans. Effective supervision over the utilization of loans should also be done which would be useful in the long run.

6. The SHG should take part in the exhibition cum sale that is conducted by Government or any other sources in order to increase their marketing skills.

7. Sense of cooperation and unity should exist among the members in order to maintain a strong group.

7. CONCLUSION

Self Help Group has somewhat changed the women's status socially and economically, as they have played an important role in providing financial assistance, decision making in the family as well as being helpful to the other members of the group and educating their children which have enable the women in improving the relationship with the family also.

There is a scope for the SHGs to turn into an effective participatory mechanism to promote socio-economic development. It is true that the SHGs are organized and are based on principles of self-help in order to develop conditions for to begin with providing savings and credit service to its members.

The study shows that the SHGs have a minimum contribution in promoting women empowerment which has to get increased by having collaboration with the local NGOs and Government agencies.In the study most of beneficiaries are female belonging SHGs as compared to male. Study reveals SHGs touched upon lives of particular poor women lived in rural areas.It is found that the women in the SHGs have gained self-confidence for social and economic self-reliance and self-sufficient among the members. The women in the SHGs are less dependent on personal saving sources rather they prefer the banks to save their saving which is a positive sign in itself. Being a member of the SHG the women are getting the exposure to have a social interaction with other people.

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