Financial Inclusion, Self-help Groups (SHGs) and Women Empowerment
Financial Inclusion, Self-help Groups (SHGs) and Women Empowerment

Author: Kartick Das

Publisher:

Published: 2013

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9788177083392

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Women's lack of economic empowerment not only impedes growth and poverty reduction, but also negatively impacts education and health outcomes for children. Thus, it is extremely important to ensure that women are economically empowered. Financial inclusion may be defined as the process of ensuring access to financial services and timely and adequate credit - where needed by vulnerable groups, such as women - at an affordable cost. India's Self-help Group (SHG)-Bank Linkage Program was launched in 1992 as a flagship program by the country's National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development. The objective is to meet the financial needs of the poor by linking SHGs with the formal credit agencies. Financial inclusion of India's women can be best ensured through SHGs. This collection contains papers that provide valuable insights into the importance and functioning of SHGs to ensure financial inclusion and hence economic empowerment of women in India.

Self Help Groups, Financial Inclusion and Women Empowerment - A Critique
Self Help Groups, Financial Inclusion and Women Empowerment - A Critique

Author: Sowjanya Shetty

Publisher:

Published: 2015

Total Pages: 9

ISBN-13:

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In recent years financial inclusion has been given top priority as financial development and economic growth are interdependent. Women constitute almost half of country's population and their work participation is also increasing and diversifying and impacting her family, neighbourhood and the economy too. Notwithstanding their numerical strength women are still confined to a secondary status in social life, economic activities and decision-making processes. The Draft National Policy for Women in Agriculture (April 2008) prepared by National Commission for Women (NCW) stated that an estimated 20 per cent of rural households are defacto female headed due to widowhood, desertion or male-out-migration. This makes women economically vulnerable and both occupationally and socially, the victims of discrimination. Self-reliance through solidarity and productivity seems to be the way out of this human poverty. Financial inclusion therefore, could be a means to come out of poverty. Self-help Groups are considered to be the enabling mechanism in this regard. The most common group lending model under SHG movement in India at present is “SHG-Bank linkages”. Across regions and communities SHGs of women have improved their participation and saving capacity. When women have financial means, they invest that money back into their families resulting in better economic security. However, we need to know whether this impact translates to better social security in terms of health, education, equity etc. We argue that financial inclusion without social intermediation is a half attempt at women empowerment. Time has come to the 'nobleness' of group approach with 'ability' to cope with challenges and changes of the times. SHGs must be ready for new experiments for the sake of enhancing expertise in group management rather than be complacent with past experience. The objectives of this paper therefore, are to (i) critically examine the role and reach of SHGs towards empowerment, (ii) discuss the issues and initiatives in establishing linkages between the socio-economic dynamics and women's empowerment, and (iii) explore some strategies that may supplant or supplement the SHG initiatives and remove the imbalances that still remain in accomplishing total empowerment of women.

Microfinance through Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) for Grass-root level Empowerment: An Empirical study of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
Microfinance through Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) for Grass-root level Empowerment: An Empirical study of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

Author: Tripti Kumari

Publisher: kassel university press GmbH

Published: 2016

Total Pages: 32

ISBN-13: 3737602565

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Microfinance, as a concept, involves providing financial services, particularly small credit, fund transfer, and insurance to the unemployed, low-income group, and those who do not have easy access to the banking system. It has emerged as an active agent of financial inclusion, ensuring economic, and social upliftment of the unprivileged. Microfinance is being operated through two channels Self-help Group-Bank Linkage Programme (SBLP) and Micro-finance Institutions (MFIs). The special characteristic of SBLP is its direct connection with the clients at the grass-root level and working towards poverty reduction by providing financial support. The paper is based on a field study on SBLP undertaken for women in the Varanasi District of Uttar Pradesh, India. The increase in women’s participation in economic activities and decision-making reveals that SHGs have made an impact. SHGs have also helped them to create a common platform to participate, discuss, and find a solution of their problems. Women’s income and occupation structure under SHGs have also influenced the standard of living and empowerment level significantly.

Handbook of Research on Microfinancial Impacts on Women Empowerment, Poverty, and Inequality
Handbook of Research on Microfinancial Impacts on Women Empowerment, Poverty, and Inequality

Author: Das, Ramesh Chandra

Publisher: IGI Global

Published: 2018-08-17

Total Pages: 479

ISBN-13: 1522552413

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One of the major tools of attaining proper development all around the world is complete financial inclusion, such that all classes of people can secure their lifestyles through access to financial services from formal sectors. Expanding access to resources and increasing self-employment opportunities help reduce poverty and improve social development. The Handbook of Research on Microfinancial Impacts on Women Empowerment, Poverty, and Inequality is an essential reference source that discusses the role of financial inclusion in gender equality, as well as economic independence and self-employment. Featuring research on topics such as inequality, collaborative economy, and social responsibility, this publication is ideally designed for policy makers, economic researchers, and academicians seeking coverage on social mobilization, capital formation, capacity building, and pro-poor economy designs.

Empowerment of Women Through Self Help Groups
Empowerment of Women Through Self Help Groups

Author: Sultana Jehan Begum

Publisher: LAP Lambert Academic Publishing

Published: 2011-12

Total Pages: 156

ISBN-13: 9783846558546

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The women's SHG model is a home grown Indian model.Based on the principles of self-help, self-management, self-responsibility and self-reliance, the groups were mobilized by promoting institutions (often NGOs).The self help promoting institutions found that saving and loans could be the binding factor for groups to remain active and pursue their own agenda. NABARD launched a pilot to link SHGs to banks in 1992 which provided these institutions with a boost. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) permitted banks to open saving accounts in the name of informal SHGs and lend to those groups without cash collateral and without asking for the purpose of the loan. Since 1996, SHG banking has been recognized as regular banking activity. In the process SHGs emerged as mass movement across the country and the largest community based micro finance model in the world.Two decades of the SHG movement has demonstrated positive impact on poverty. The model offers great potential to have millions of member-owned, member-managed and member-used organizations of the poor. In a nutshell this book is highly useful for those who want to do further research on SHGs & women empowerment.

Women Empowerment in India and Financial Inclusion Barriers
Women Empowerment in India and Financial Inclusion Barriers

Author: Sowjanya Shetty

Publisher:

Published: 2019

Total Pages: 12

ISBN-13:

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In India financial inclusion has been given top priority in recent years in the philosophies and plans of both financial development and economic growth. Financial Inclusion is the delivery of banking services at an affordable cost to the vast section of the disadvantaged and low-income group. Financial inclusion intends to provide finance to the weaker sections of the society enabling better social development which in turn facilitates investment and economic growth in the country. Inclusive growth is meaningless without including the marginalised sections of society. Excluding women, who represent half the population, makes development process and outcomes unjust and unacceptable, leave alone unfinished. Studies show that over 70 per cent of beneficiaries of the financial inclusion agenda are women. SHGs are one of the essential means to include women in the process of financial inclusion, and they are the prime driver for the financial movement in India. Our study found many shared efforts and experiences to prove motivated and mobilised women's capability and confidence turning to capital resulting in a brighter future for the women themselves and their communities as a whole. India's newfound philosophy of 'inclusive growth' includes a route for enabling women in the growth process - of the self and the society. The objectives of this paper are: to examine the role and reach of SHGs towards empowerment; to discuss the issues and initiatives in establishing linkages between the socio-economic dynamics and women's empowerment; and to explore specific strategies and practices that may supplant or supplement the SHG initiatives and remove the imbalances that remain in accomplishing total empowerment of women.

Women Empowerment Through Self-help Groups (SHGs)
Women Empowerment Through Self-help Groups (SHGs)

Author: A. Abdul Raheem

Publisher:

Published: 2011

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9788177082876

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In India, the advancement and empowerment of women has been a leading objective of state policy ever since the attainment of independence in 1947. Institutions of different types - central, state, and local governments; non-governmental organizations; civil society; and other bodies - are active to ensure gender equality as laid down in the Constitution of India. India's Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007-2012) recognizes women for the first time not just as equal citizens, but as agents of economic and social growth. The Plan's approach to gender equity is based on the recognition that interventions in favor of women must be multi-pronged and that they must be provided with basic entitlements. Self-help Groups (SHGs) have emerged as an effective instrument to promote entrepreneurship and self-confidence among women, particularly in rural areas. This book provides a vivid account of the various measures taken by the government of India for the economic, social, and political empowerment of women. More importantly, it examines the role of SHGs in women's development, thereby envisaging a synthesis of the formal financial system and informal sector.