<http://www.hindu.com/2007/03/05/02hdline.htm> `SHGs not empowering women fully'* *
Aarti Dhar] http://www.hindu.com/2007/03/05/stories/2007030505391300.htm * Huge gap between claims: study * ------------------------------ * * *No evidence of substantive rise in incomes * *They exclude the poorest because they are not able to save regularly * ------------------------------ NEW DELHI: A study on the impact of self-help groups (SHGs) has revealed a huge gap between the claims of women's empowerment and poverty alleviation, and the ground-level realities. While the SHGs claim to improve livelihoods, there was little evidence to suggest that they do so. Although they may provide women with access to money, they certainly do not ensure her entitlement to the use of the resources or assets that the money provides. Worse, the primary burden of repayment is also on women, a study by `Nirantar: A centre for gender and education,' has revealed. The study was conducted to understand women's perception about the changes that have taken place in their lives after joining an SHG, especially in terms of empowerment and poverty alleviation; raising issues of gender justice and assess the extent to which the sponsoring agencies provide an enabling environment in terms of education and learning opportunities. While the study found no evidence to suggest that participation in SHGs had led to a substantive increase in incomes, this participation has increased women's burden of work. The SHG phenomenon has added new dimensions to the idea of a "good woman" who saves, repays regularly and pressures other women to repay, not for her own benefit but for the welfare of the family. Also, the agenda of the SHG group is dominated by the requirements of ensuring regular savings and repayment. There is also a failure to recognise that SHGs are exclusionary. They exclude the poorest, including Dalits, Muslims and tribals, because they are not able to save regularly, pay according to schedule or undertake the risks involved in micro-enterprise. The study further points out that educational and literacy inputs provided to SHGs are minimum as the promoters seem unable or unwilling to recognise and respond to this reality. Primarily because there is an assumption that access to financial resource is equal to economic empowerment of women and that it will automatically lead to their social empowerment. The study shows that if poor women have access to financial resources, it does not automatically mean that they will be able to negotiate their position in the world. Educational inputs that enable women to critically engage with the world are necessary for their empowerment. This false dichotomy allows governments to justify insufficient investment not only in education for women but also in public service commitments. It allows the State to ignore structural inequalities. "By making the claim that SHGs are leading to empowerment and poverty alleviation, the State does not hold itself accountable for ensuring universal right to food, work, education and health," the study has revealed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Ours is a battle not for wealth or for power. It is a battle for freedom. It is a battle for the reclamation of human personality." - Dr BR Ambedkar ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ greenyouth mailinglist is the activist support mailinglist for kerala run by Global Alternate Information Applications (GAIA) To post to this group, send email to [email protected] -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
