Research details:

100 SHGs of the 27 Gram Panchayat of the Erasama block of Jagatsingpur district, Odisha was the field. The site was selected as it was one of the worst affected district in the super cyclone 1999 after which there was a huge number of SHGs formed .The research looked into some specific issues such as the difference in the socio-economic status and conditions of the women beneficiaries before and after joining the group, the examination of the relationship between the social factors with the efficiency of the group, the formation, organization and functioning of the group, the assessment of the attitude of the various agencies towards these groups, the identification of the problems and determine the factors responsible for the smooth functioning of some of the groups lastly suggesting strategies for improvement and sustainability of the women groups. The study used tools such as In-depth interview schedules with open-ended questions, focus group discussion, and Participant observation. Purposive sampling, snowballing sample was used in the selection of the respondents. The analysis followed grounded theory approach hence this study was a qualitative research to study the empowerment of women through self help groups.

INTRODUCTION:

This paper is divided into three sections .In the first section the findings of the research will be presented under three broad headings. The second section will focus on Impact of SHGs on various dimensions of women empowerment, its success and failures and the third section will focus on suggestion for restructuring SHGs so that rural women can be empowered in true sense of the term.

SECTION I

Findings: Silver linings and crises.

1. Self help groups: An end in itself or a means to an end.

The women self-help groups are linked with banks to avail easy credit at a subsidized rate. With the loans, these groups have started small business of their own ranging from cultivation, goatry, fishery, cultivation of bettlevene, setting of shop so on. One of the important feature of these groups is that the usually the loan amount is used for personal consumption. Other secondary usages of the loan range from starting business of their own or repaying old debts and so on. Thus the primary benefit is in terms of monetary gain as they now have easy accessibility to money more regularly and easily which serves as an insurance for emergency needs as well as encouraging saving which is the best feature of this group formation. The whole process of earning money and contributing to the family expenses and managing to save on a regular basis has given a unique psychological strength to the members that are reflected in the changed attitude. There is a change in the attitude of the family members particularly in letting the women to go out of the four walls of the house for group’s work. However, one of the basic reasons of this is attributed to their irregular and insufficient source of money that is why the men are letting the women to engage in the group. Whatever the situation women are still burden with double workload of house and group work. However, the women themselves do not considered it as an extra burden rather they prefer to neglect the group work for household work as they are socialized in that way so as to consider their prime duty is to involve wholeheartedly in the care of husband, children and other family members.

There are some inherent weakness in the groups, they are

Members:

· Exploitation by some members

· Ignorance and indifference of some members

· Weak financial management

· Lack of stability and unity especially among women SHGs

· Illiteracy or just literate

The groups:

· Inadequate financial assistance

· Low return

· Non cooperation attitude and inadequate support from concerned agencies

· Training

· Problems relating to raw materials

· Lack of insurance, registration of assets in the name of women,

· Misutilisation of loan

· Lack of autonomy in SHG functioning

· Marketing

1. Lack of sufficient order

2. Lack of linkage with the marketing agencies

3. Lack of adequate sale promoting measures

4. Lack of permanent market for the products of groups

5. Absences of brand name

6. Poor or unattractive packing system

7. Poor quality of product due to application of traditional technology, resulting in poor market.

8. Stiff competition from other major supplies

9. Lack of a well-defined and well unit channel

‘Sisterhood’ feeling of the group is powerful but analysis of the situation prevailing at the field site does not provide a scope towards proving it so thus limiting the potentiality of group collectivity. Self-help groups are somewhat an end in itself.

2. Women’s Empowerment “In progress” through self-help groups

Women are benefiting from the groups but it is confined to only economic and psychological benefits and other forms of empowerment such as social, political and cultural is yet to be firmly rooted to have an everlasting empowering affect on the members. They not only depend on economic gain but also change in structure of the society and change in power relation .It is though reflected in house hold relation but it is only for a short-term. There are signs of intra household position improvement with financial independency of women however, the expected overall impact is confined and restricted. It has failed to have a long-lasting and interrelated impact on her social surroundings. It did not increase the range of choices available for a woman and hence has a limited dimension of empowerment i.e. economic empowerment .This easy access to credit did not have that much of social benefits. Gender issues or the non-economic issues such as illiteracy, lack of skill, patriarchy and so on, is not included in the scope of the group functioning but considered as ultimately to be affected by economic benefits. Nevertheless, these issues remaining with the members have threatening the sustainability of the groups. An economic benefit initially does have a social impact but gradually the social disadvantages of women, erode the economic benefits and ultimately make it come to a standstill. It is further reinforcing gender division of labor by improvement in activities that are considered women’s responsibility as a mother and a wife. Such as sending children to school more regularly, there is noticeably improved in the nutrition, health and sanitation in the family especially the children and the groups are engaged in economic activities which are the extension of household work .This is further reflected in the perceptions of women who are satisfied with gender-defined role of a wife and mother, their preference for male child, and male bias in agriculture including their greater control over agricultural land and landownership. Women empowerment takes place when women challenge the existing social norms and culture that is patriarchal in nature to effectively improve their well-being and establish an individual identity and self-image. There is achievement of some of the defined empowerment parameters such as

a. Overcoming the resistance from husband and other family members to join SHGs

b. Increased participation in decision making within household in family issues

c. Improved status within the household

d. Feeling fearless ,open and confident

e. Literate

f. Adopting Family planning measures

g. Increase mobility

h. Interaction with male members, which is restricted due to cultural constraints.

This is seen with the following:

· A positional and behavioral change in the women within the household is observed.

· Recognition of women’s economic contribution within the household.

· Inculcating saving habits

· Preference for small family

· Better healthcare ,Immunization and nutrition for their children

· Increase and consistence in school enrollment and attendance

· Political empowerment in the form of exercising voting power and deciding the right candidate without anyone pressure.

· Acquiring knowledge (access to information) and literacy skills

3. Sustainability of the groups is at stake:

· Exclusion of the poorest of the poor

· Undemocratic functioning due to ignorance, indifferent attitude, interference of male members and suspicious nature of some members.

· Lack of group commitment to task accomplishment.

· Financial mismanagement

· Improper and ill defined process and functioning

· Rating determines the funding of loan and subsidy by bank hence exclusion of some groups with potentiality.

· A limiting approach towards the scope of functioning of the groups for promoting enterprises.

· SHGs as standalone organizations

· Underutilization of funds

SECTION II

Impact of SHGs on various dimensions of empowerment, its success and failure

Empowerment is increase in individual’s capability, potential and improvement in personality, skill, knowledge and access to opportunities. Direction of change, process of change and degree of change depends on personal characteristic and social arrangements or setting where one is placed which determines ones aspirations and ambitions. Providing facilities does not guarantee empowerment of a person unless and until he or she is willing to improve. Believe and courage is equally important that one can and wants to live a life of higher value that is more satisfying and fulfilling .Increase in choices and awareness, access and willingness accompany each other.

Structure of society that is patriarchal in nature restricts women to the role of a mother and a wife only. Empowerment of women means all round betterment. All dimensions of empowerment are interrelated and targeting only one aspect cannot bring the desired out come. It should be an all-encompassing intervention.

The basic principle underlying the formation of the groups is increase access to credit that can help in expansion of material base of women by enabling them to start small business, often accompanied by market access. Women as economic producer are considered unproductive and hence face limitation in all its related aspect. Lack of accessibility to credit, absences of uniform and fixed wage, bargaining power in the market has a restricting atmosphere for a women. But the question is whether economic independency alone can empower a woman. Women also experience ‘power within’ feeling of freedom, strength, self-identity and increase in levels of confidence and self-esteem with increase in financial stability. But it is like a temporary and superficial solution like medicines for a disease and not something to prevent its occurrence .Root cause of marginalization should be targeted. More permanent and all encompassing solution is required to deal with it firmly. The social or cultural environment results in varying degree of empowerment for women across class, caste and various socioeconomic standing with different codes of conduct. It is important to utilize the SHGs forum or the collectivity of a homogenous group of women in challenging the wider structures of social and psychological subordination without which the potentiality of SHGs in women empowerment remains underutilized.

Empowerment can be fruitful by removing the sources of disempowerment.

social

Women intensive

Women exclusive

Dependence on elite

Dowry

Poor housing

Poor infrastructure

Class violence

Social isolation

Dependence on male kin

Divorce or desertion

Patrilocal residence

Gender division of labor

Gender violence

Norms of seclusion

Limited bargaining power and mobility

Political

Women intensive

Women exclusive

Lack of consciousness

Lack of representation

Lack of organization

Lack of voting rights

Limited bargaining power

Anti poor policies

Male bias policies

Economic

Women intensive

Women exclusive

Limited assets base

Limited access to resources

Limited employment

High interest rate on loans

Indebtedness

Limited bargaining power

Imperfect market

Unfair or high prices

Environmental degradation

Exploitation

Patrilineal inheritance

Male biased recruitment

Limited access to loans

Gender stratified markets

Gender exploitation

(Source: Carr,Chen and Jhabvala .Speaking Out:Women’s Empowerment in South Asia.1996.)

Using the table of the sources of disempowerment of women, we can discuss whether economic independency obtained through SHGs is having any impact or effect on any of these disadvantages.

The study showed the limited role of SHGs in bringing about a change in the social structures of subordination including patriarchy outside the house. There is an increased status in household that is the result of economic independency. The other sources of discrimination are not affected nor removed as a result for after sometime it becomes a normal and a regular thing for a woman to earn that small amount of money with less chances of increasing money as it completely depends on the group performances. Slowly women are again in the same position. Women intensive points as mentioned in the tables are obtained to some extend as it prevails within the household and within the community but the empowering parameters outside the scope of family and community that are women extensive are absent.

Taking the elements together of group membership or collectivity, a material standing, and community involvement which should have ensured an enthusiastic involvement of members in the process of changing social norms and perceptions of the wider society to a more just and equal society and hence anchoring a wider movement of social change, and which the group have that much potential but the result is not satisfactory and not sustainable. Efficiency improving activities of the members’, community driven development and financial independency can truly empower women but it is when the impact is on a wide scale .The work the groups are engaged in ,the process of functioning and results obtained ,all further reinforce patriarchal dominance in some way or the other. The presence of male members in these aspects is inevitable, as either a helper in group work or the actual beneficiary of financial benefits. Hence empowerment through self-help group can be achieved when space is create for each particular individual woman’s need and working towards it involving the process and the end result that is culturally considered to be outside women domain and activities.

SECTION III

Microfinance programme and poverty reduction

Increased access to financial services represents an opening for greater empowerment. But assumption is more and not actually planned accordingly in plans and policies. Participation has a limited impact on women’s access to resources but has a stronger impact on her intra house relationship and position. The integration of the network that arises through these groups at the village level should not be ignored and should be considered essential in all developmental planning and policies. Targeting local area first but including within itself plans for future integration which is more widespread and sustaining. Microfinance reinforces women’s traditional roles instead of promoting gender equality .Heavier workload and less profit, tensions for repayment, double burden of work, all these do not ensure cent percent entitlement among its members but add on the burden of saving and loan repayment .Loan repayment done by taking another loan and all this is because the less profit margin and too much pressure. Women themselves are becoming resources ,a source of money with less or no controlling power over it. In other words, the final impact of microfinance depends upon the difference between the rate of interest paid and the rate of profit earned from the proper use of the loan. The issue of microfinance movement for women can be questioned because even though credit is there but the economic activity is pursued with the same technology in the same market with same social disadvantages for women that are patriarchal in nature and inherently structured to pull women down to a lower, suppressed position. It is falsely assumed that the rate of profit will be high than the rate of interest. The poor become poorer because they have to pay out a part of their merge earnings as interest to the banks. Economic, social and political vulnerability of women should be considered in the intervention for her well-being. Not only credit support but also her other basic needs should be taken into consideration then only financial empowerment can successfully have a tremendous and long-lasting effect on other dimensions of empowerment. Some basic measures can be taken so that these groups can function efficiently and empower women effectively.

Restructuring SHGs will enable women as agents of social change.

The SHGs have been constituted to become a facilitating tool in the rural economy to make women, a producing member of the society. The restructuring of the SHGs and their federations has to be done so that they can operate independently by adapting themselves to a variety of changing local dynamics. Strengthening of the existing groups should be made part and parcel of formation process with funding and strategies particularly for it. Combining all the support system towards SHGs in one support system can further strengthen the groups. More of community mobilization planning strategies for it .Social and economic parameters should determine the grading which ensures different loan amount from the banks.

A new role, a new recognition which opens nontraditional avenues for developing capacities for a woman should be the focus of women oriented plans and policies. A human right based approach with participation and advocacy is needed to fight social exploitation and marginalization of women .SHGs which is based on collectivity and thus having strength of network of women who are facing the same disadvantage situation with difference in only varying degrees should fight against the sources of disempowerment and also develop enterprise focused on sustainable use of existing local resources for enhancing their income level in livelihood prospective. Traditional knowledge or skill can be further enhanced with increase in access to transportation, basic facilities like bringing source of water nearer to the kitchen and land rights for women. I n other words improving the basic conditions in which women are placed with a futuristic aim of a wider social change towards a just and equal society.

Number is equally important. Significance of strength should be understood. Group with fifty members have the power to have their voice heard more effectively and convincingly .Women union can have a better social benefit. Increase in the access to other formal networks and services, need to identify a group which would help them and support them will certainly strength the groups.

Suggestions for restructuring SHGs

· Developing a strategy to provided credit and insurance to the most needy and vulnerable people.

· The information regarding the credit provided to the SHGs can be shared in the federations and banks to ensure transparency and avoidance misuse of money.

· Techniques of functioning of the groups should be simple yet effective and is understood by all.

· Quality assessment monitors or parameters at different steps.

· Creation of fund for group promotion.

· Political strategies and network to challenge patriarchal dominance .Getting men use to see more women in political sphere at the grass root level.

· More involvement with community activities.

· More of agricultural based activities thus making agriculture as an income generation activity.

· Use of computers for a systematic accounts keeping hence computer literacy is also necessary for all women members.

· Capacity building of each member should be the priority as each individual counts.

· “Saving First Business “should turn on its head with Business First then come saving i.e. turn the groups into enterprises.

· Small-scale industry or cottage industry can be a better option for these groups with financial and institutional support.

· Mixed caste based groups should be encouraged.

· Ownership rights provided to the women.

· Banks should increase a wide range of product loans for the groups. Business points can be put forward with interaction between the banks and the women members directly.

· Implementing women related laws more strictly.

· Change in the macro environments is equally important along with external help to increase self respect and confidence provided through microfinance.

CONCLUSION:

The government is making efforts to improve access to microfinance by the poor through self-help groups of women. This is thought to provide financial independence to women and also improve the economic conditions of women and their families. The problem of microfinance is that attention is given only to the increased lending and no attention is paid to assess whether the money is being used in the establishment of profitable business. The collectivity inherent in these groups can be properly utilized by locating the barriers and challenges that stunt capacity building and empowerment of women. As when the woman develops a clear conception of her role, rights and responsibilities and is in a position to implement them, then she is said to be empowered. Empowerment is best realized when it is transformed into a programme of action with the necessary structural adjustments which threatens the outcome.

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Received on 10.09.2015 Modified on 20.09.2015

Int. J. Rev. & Res. Social Sci. 3(3): July- Sept., 2015; Page 113-118

DOI: 10.5958/2454-2687.2015.00002.7