The Social Impact of Self-Help Groups Widen Women’s Socio-economic and Political Opportunities
The term ‘self-help’ has historical significance and is widely used for cooperation survival. Self-help groups (SHG) play a significant role in transforming the rural economy. Its unprecedented growth helps the resurgence of the weaker section of society in terms of outreach, social position, and sustainability. Among different SHGs, ‘Kudumbashree’ of Kerala constitute the largest women SHGs in India. The Government of Kerala launched the programme for poor women on 17 May 1998. Grassroots of ‘Kudumbashree’ are ‘Neighbourhood Groups’ (NHGs). Kudumbashree functions through NHGs.
This study analyses the social impact of NHGs by taking samples from the tribal and non-tribal areas in the district of Palakkad, Kerala. A detailed survey conducted among 600 respondents with identified social variables.
Since the 1970s, SHGs have been playing an essential role in different states of India by contributing mostly to democratize many institutions that stand for the deprived sections of the society. It tries to create social stability through financial inclusion and play an active role in the social empowerment of the people in rural areas.
The theoretical foundations of the SHGs are deeply linked with the framework of sociology. Theoretically, SHGs may stimulate empowerment and increase the participants’ sense of control and can be linked to the concept of social learning.
SHGs role in empowering women in rural areas is significant. The social impact of SHGs on women’s empowerment is noticeable. It brings social cohesion among the poor at the grassroots level. Field evidence shows that SHG members can easily become involved in households’ decision-making and bring positive changes in their life. According to Nagaraj and Sundaram (2017), SHGs provide a sufficient platform for social participation and encourages members to better interact with society. Such continuous efforts lead to the societal transformation of women in rural areas.
There were two objectives of this study. The first, to study the social impact of the NHGs of Kudumbashree. The second, to study the impact of social variables between tribal and non-tribal areas. The outcome of the study reveals that NHGs have created a social platform for women to improve social activities and strengthen its members’ social bondage. The social impacts in tribal and non-tribal areas differ for certain social variables and do not vary with others. Overall, the study highlights the need for promoting the role of NHGs as a means of ‘social change’ for strengthening the socialization process of women.
Article details
Social Impact of Women SHGs: A Study of NHGs of ‘Kudumbashree’ in Kerala
N. Rajagopal
First Published May 19, 2020 Research Article
DOI: 10.1177/0258042X20922116
Management and Labour Studies