Question

How do SHG act to provide a platform for women to address their various social issues

Answer 1

A self-help group is a small informal association of people created at the grass root level to get economic benefits on the basis of mutual help, solidarity and joint responsibility. The SHGs are formed voluntarily by the urban and rural poor for working together for social and economic upliftment. The members of SHGs save and contribute to a common fund to be lent out to its members as per the decision of the group. The basic philosophy underlying SHGs is the fact that the shortcomings and weaknesses at the individual level can be overcome by the collective responsibility and security accrued by the formation of a self help group. Hence, SHGs serve as a novel and innovative organizational instrument in India for the welfare of women and upliftment.
Evolution in India
Due to the inefficiency of banks in providing financial services to the poorer sections of the society, government in the early eighties intended to promote a new apex bank to cater to the financial needs of poor people. Further, it was considered that the government’s interference in the cooperatives attributed to their decline in the 1960s and 1970s. So, NABARD was established free from government interference and subsidies to serve poor particularly women. Decline of cooperatives paved way for the emergence of SHGs in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Need for Self Help Groups in India
Large chunks of India’s population live in rural areas. There exists inequalities in sharing the wealth and opportunities in the country. Still many people especially in the rural areas live under the depressing shelter of adverse poverty. Despite decades of implementation, development programmes of government have failed to achieve considerable success in eradicating poverty. It is in this context that need for organizing rural poor especially women into Self Help Groups assumes significance.
Objectives
SHGs strive to achieve the following:
To save money on regular basis.
To mutually agree to contribute a common fund in order to meet their emergency needs.
Takes decisions collectively.
To solve conflicts through mutual discussion.
To provide collateral free loan at the market driven rates based on the terms and conditions decided by the group.
Working of SHG
SHGs primarily function on the following principle:
It acts as propagator of voluntarism.
It acts as a purveyor of credit.
Propagates and promotes the concept of mutual help.
Promotes thrift and savings and provides timely emergency loans.
Features of SHGs
SHGs consists not less than five persons and a maximum of twenty with similar economic outlook and social status.
SHGs promotes objectives like economic empowerment. It helps in raising resources for development and freedom from exploitation.
The nature of SHGs is mostly informal (unregistered).
Periodical meetings of members are conducted to address their socio-economic problems and fixed savings from the members are collected at such meetings.
Sources of funds for the SHGs accrue from member’s savings, entrance fee, interest from loans, and income from investments and so on. Funds accrued may be used for extending loans, carrying out social services etc.
The savings of members are deposited in a bank with the name of group.
The money lying in the bank is used for extending loan facilities to members of SHGs for 98 purposes at an interest rate decided by the group.
Democratic, flexible and responsive in operations.
Significant impacts of SHGs on empowerment of women
The members of SHGs exhibit the following outputs:
Improvements in literacy and numerical skills;
Increase in awareness of basic legal rights;
Awareness of development activities of government;
Increase in self-confidence and enhanced social status;
Economic empowerment and freedom from exploitation of money lenders, landlords etc.
Enhanced decision making powers in the household affairs.
Keenness to educate girl child;
Active participation in other organizations and political bodies like Panchayats.
Improved political consciousness and improved awareness about electoral process, societal analysis and gender issues.
Challenges & Shortcomings
Capacity building
Self Help Groups face challenges in terms of capacity building such as the need of support in accounting, financial management, and organisational development.
Poor maintenance of records
SHGs are required to maintain records such as loan register, cash book, individual pass book, attendance register etc. Qualities of record maintained by SHGs were often found to be poor and are not up to date.
Irregular meetings
SHGs should meet regularly once in a week/fortnight/month as per the rules decided by the members. This is to provide a platform for discussing various common problems and enable smooth funct

Answer 2

SHG - A platform to address women problem

Explanation:

• SHG( Self help group) are informal voluntary association of people who come together to solve their common problems such as bringing improvement in living conditions.
• SHG of women is a group of 10 to 20 females who have joined together for solving their social issues and help themselves in assuring better living standard.
• SHG for women help them in solving the major issues faced by them like lack of power and opportunity, lack of fund , knowledge etc.
• It also help in bringing social security, new learning which will ensure new earning opportunities and bring independence to them.

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SHG and Women

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