D.V.KUSUMALATHAAGRICULTURAL EXTENSION

Women Empowerment–Dimensions

Women Empowerment Through SHG Approach

Vedic period: Scholars believe that in ancient India(1500-1000 BC), the women enjoyed equal status with men in all fields of life, had freedom to choose partners for marriage. Daughters were not considered as liability or unwelcomed guest in the family.

However, later (approximately 500 B.C.), the status of women began to decline.

Age of Manusmriti (500 – 200 BC): Women were not given freedom at any point of time in her life. Not marring a girl before the age of 14 years was a sin.

Medieval Period

Sati system, child marriage, purdah, devdasi, ban on widow

remarriage

19th century

Raja Ram Mohan RoySati practice abolished - 1829

Ishwar Chandra VidyasagarWidow Remarriage Act – 1856

Annie Besant 1st female president of INC - 1917

Sarojini Naidu1st Indian female president of INC - 1925

Queen of Jhansi Indian Rebellion of 1857

Indira Gandhi - 1966

Kalpana Chawla

Kiran Bedi - 1972

Mother Teresa - 1979 Kalpana Chawla - 1997

Empowerment of Women

WOMENOF

EMPOWERMENT

Definition“Empowerment is the process of

increasing the authority and responsibility of individuals or groups to make choices and to transform those choices into desired actions and outcomes”.

WHY NEED OF WOMEN EMPOWERMENT?

The main problems that were faced by women in past days(and still today up to some extent): Gender discrimination Woman education Female infanticide Dowry child marriage(still existing) Atrocities on Women: Raped, kicked, killed, subdued &

humiliated almost daily.

Women EmpowermentWomen Empowerment refers

to increasing the spiritual, political, social, educational, gender, or economic strength of individuals and communities of women.

Women empowerment is an active, multi-dimensional process which enables women to realize their potential and powers in all spheres of life. The process should materialize only when there is a conducive environment for the enlightenment which is to be ensured first.

Empowerment as a concept was introduced at the International Women’s Conference in 1985 at Nairobi. The conference defined empowerment as a redistribution of social power and control of resources in favour of women.

Women's empowerment has five components:

Women's sense of self-worth; Their right to have and to

determine choices; Their right to have access to

opportunities and resources; Their right to have the power to

control their own lives, both within and outside the home;

And their ability to influence the direction of social change to create a more just social and economic order, nationally and internationally.

FACILITATING FACTORS FOR WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

Existence of women's organizations  Availability of support systems Availability of funds Feminist leadership Networking Favourable media coverage Favourable policy climate.

CONSTRAINING FACTORS  FORWOMEN EMPOWERMENT

Heavy work load of women. Isolation of women from each other. Illiteracy. Traditional views limit participation. No funds. Disagreements/conflicts among women's groups. Structural adjustment policies. Negative and sensational coverage of media

Women Development

Economical

cultural

Political

Social

DIMENSIONS:

EMPOWERMENT OF WOMENEconomic Empowerment of

womenPoverty Eradication By offering them a range of economic and social options, along with necessary support measures to enhance their capabilities.

Micro Credit

strengthening of existing micro-credit mechanisms and micro-finance institution will be undertaken so that the outreach of credit is enhanced

Women and Economy Their contribution to socio-economic development as producers and workers will be recognized in the formal and informal sectors (including home based workers) and appropriate policies relating to employment and to her working conditions should be drawn up.

GlobalizationBenefits of the growing global economy have been unevenly distributed leading to wider economic disparities, the feminization of poverty, increased gender inequality through often deteriorating working conditions and unsafe working environment.

Women and AgricultureConcentrated efforts should be made to ensure that benefits of training, extension and various programmes will reach them in proportion to their numbers.

Women and Industrycomprehensive support in terms of labour legislation, social security and other support services to participate in various industrial sectors

social empowerment of women Education for women Healthcare for women Participation of women in development of science

and technology

Nutrition of women

Drinking Water and Sanitation

Housing and Shelter

Environment

Planning educational and training modules for motivating women to take up self- empowerment programmes.

Educating and training women to gainfully engage in markets and institutions.

Publicizing the central role of women in the national economies and celebrating the success stories of women entrepreneurship and women professionalism in every field.

Gender training and sensitization of the current structures of the society represented by the government, non-governmental bodies and private enterprises.

Building and strengthening networks where women come together from different nations and regions for common goal economic empowerment of women.

Political Empowerment

Cultural Empowerment of Women

There should be a change in the mind set of society on a fundamental level. Cultural empowerment as such can be achieved only when women are treated as human beings first and foremost.

Holistic approach to Empowerment

Health& Nut.

Education

Water & San.

Skills

Technology Credit

PoliticalParticipation

Marketing

Asset base

Shiksha= EducationSwasthya= HealthSwavlamban= Self RelianceSamajik Nyay= JusticeSamvedana= SensitivitySamta= Equality

6S Model for Women EmpowermentAN INITIATIVE BY INDIAN GOVT

1. IMPROVES IN PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE

2. SELF – DEFINING POWER

3. PERSONAL POWER

4. AUTHENTICITY5.

6. CREATIVITY

7. PHYSICAL STRENGTH

8. EQUALITY

9. MUTUALITY IN RELATIONSHIPS

10. ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE

11. FREEDOM FROM OPPRESSION

12. HAVING POLITICAL POWER IN SOCIETY

Values… specialities…changes …seen in empowered women:

Women Empowerment - SHG Approach

SHG? Self Help Group (SHG) is a small voluntary association to form

a group. It is informal and homogenous group of not more than twenty members. SHGs consist of maximum 20 members because any group having more than 20 members has to be registered under Indian legal system.

Self Help Group (SHG) is a process by which a large group of women (10 – 20), with common objectives are facilitated to come together voluntarily to participate in the development activities such as saving, credit and income generation thereby ensuring economic independence.

What Is Women EmpowermentorGender Empowerment?

It is the process, and the outcome of

the process, by which women challenge gender-based discrimination against women/men in all the institutions and structures of society.

SHG phenomenon definitely brings group consciousness among women, sense of belongingness, adequate self confidence.

In fact, what she cannot achieve as an individual, can accomplish as a member of group with sufficient understanding about her own rights, roles, privileges and responsibilities as a dignified member of society in par with man.

When she becomes a member of SHG, her sense of public participation, enlarged horizon of social activities, high self-esteem, self-respect and fulfillment in life expands and enhances the quality of status of women as participants, decision makers and beneficiaries in the democratic, economic social and cultural spheres of life.

In other words, we can say that SHG is an effective instrument to empower women socially and economically which ultimately contributes in the overall development of the country.

SHGs Origin: SHG‟s originated in the year 1975 at Bangladesh by

Mohammed Yunus. In the eighties, it was a serious attempt by the Government of

India to promote an apex bank to take care of the financial needs of the poor, informal sector and rural areas.

And then, NABARD took steps during that period and initiated a search for alternative methods to fulfill the financial needs of the rural poor and informal sector.

NABARD initiated in 1986-87, but the real effort was taken after 1991-92 from the linkage of SHGs with the banks.

PRADAN: PRADAN is a voluntary organisation registered under the Societies

Registration Act of India.  Established in Delhi in 1983, PRADAN was pioneered by a group of

young professionals, all of whom were inspired by the conviction that individuals with knowledge resources and empathy for the marginalised must work with communities at the grassroots in order to help them overcome poverty.

PRADAN follows a four-pronged approach to achieve its goals: Promoting and nurturing Self-Help Groups (SHGs) of poor women and

strengthening them as organisations to leverage institutional finances for members’ livelihoods.

Developing and introducing locally suitable economic activities to increase productivity and incomes among SHG members; building synergic collaboration with a wide variety of stakeholders.

Mobilising finances for livelihood assets and infrastructure from government bodies, donors, banks, and other financial institutions.

Setting up mechanisms to sustain the livelihood gains made by the poor communities

PRADAN helps groups to form secondary organisations such as Clusters and Federations. The experience and capabilities developed through functioning in collectives stand them in good stead when they are required to set up and manage their own livelihood-related institutions such as Co-operatives, Mutual Benefit Trusts and Producer Companies..

It provides them with a platform from where they can access banks and public services, and spearhead changes that affect them as poor women

With PRADAN’s guidance and the members’ own experiences, SHGs can potentially play four key roles through the different stages of evolution:

I. Mutual help,II. Financial intermediation,III. Livelihood planning, IV. And social empowerment.

Karnataka Regional Organization for Social Service (KROSS) is a non-profit, secular and non-political Organization established in 1983 and is registered under the Karnataka Societies Registration Act, 1960 in 1989. 

KROSS with its 14 member organizations renders multifarious services among 30 districts of Karnataka especially in the areas of Women Empowerment, Health, Community Resilience to HIV/AIDS, Child Rights, Good Governance, Natural Resource Management, Capacity Building, Micro Enterprises for Poverty Alleviation and Career Advancement Programme without discriminating on the basis of caste, creed and race. 

A Training of Trainers program on Entrepreneurial Development for creating Entrepreneurs

The focus of the training was on Concept, Methodology, Financial Management and preparation of a Business Plan to start an enterprise and practical problem solving methods. 

 The participants were divided into groups and were given the exercise to develop a business plan and present it 

It help them to motivate the Self Help Group Women members to take up business and be job creators as not only will it enhance their family income but the other members of the family will be involved in promoting their enterprise. 

The programme was launched during 2000-01 and it is being implemented throughout the state to empower rural women and make them self reliant.

Stree Shakthi Groups are formed at the village level to inculcate the savings habit in the members empowering the women economically. About 15 to 20 women members who are from below poverty line families, landless  agricultural labourers, SC/ST women join together.

Stree Shakthi Groups are  formed through  Anaganwadi workers and taluk federations.

STREE SHAKTHI:

Aims and Objectives:  1. To strengthen the process of economic development of rural

women and  create a conducive environment for social change. 2. To form self help group based on thrift and credit principles

which builds self reliance and enable women to have greater access and control over resources.

3. To increase the income levels of rural women by engaging them in; Income generating activities and creating financial stability.

4. To provide opportunities to the members of the groups to avail the benefits of other departmental schemes by converging the services of    various departments and lending institutions to ensure women’s access to credit financing.

Benefits of Stree Shakthi Scheme:

Strengthening rural women: By providing loan among themselves rural women are getting empowered

Social harmony: Since SHGs include women from every category of society there is feeling of social harmony among rural women

Training: Under the scheme women are given training to undertake any expertise and start their own expenditure

Various activities: The group organize meeting every Sundays where they also have various session of how to save money and generate different sources of earning

Income generating activities: The SHGs also undertake various income generating activities which again generate revenue for Stree Shakti Scheme

Income Generating Activities:1.Dairying2.Production and sale of readymade garments3.Blanket marketing4.Marketing of seeds and manure5.Production and sale of Papad, Sambar Powder, Agarbatti6.Production and sale of Composite Manure7.Production and sale of Soap & Detergent

READ: (RURAL EDUCATION AND ACTION DEVELOPMENT)

It is an NGO, headquartered in Andimadam (Ariyalur District, Tamil Nadu India) that works to improve the social, educational and economic conditions of the underprivileged, disadvantaged and vulnerable people

Community Development through Self-help groups: Beautician Training; NABARD training program (Hand made greeting card training; Cashew nut Processing Training; Computer Training)

Micro-Finance: SHG started internal savings and micro-credit activities.

Vocational Training: Empowering the youth and disabled people with the skills to build a future. Tailoring & basket-weaving; Typewriting; Computer-training; Book-binding; Greeting card production

Community Health: Perambalur Community Hygiene Project - Building community-operated toilet facilities, School health and Hygiene program

Pavala Vaddi:The Pavala Vaddi scheme is started by Andhra Pradesh government (Finance Ministry) for interest subsidy on the Bank loans taken by the self help groups in Andhra Pradesh to reduce the financial burden for setting up of New Micro and Small enterprises including Food processing Industries in the state.

“Train a man and you train an individual, Train a woman and you build a nation”. - M.K.Gandhi