FACTORS INFLUENCING THE ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN THROUGH SELF-HELP GROUPS IN SOUTH TAMIL NADU

Abstract

The principles underlying the SHGs are financing the poorest of the poor and achieving holistic empowerment. The SHG phenomenon certainly brings group consciousness among women, a sense of belonging and an adequate amount of self confidence. The data and information have been collected from 630 members of self help groups by adopting multi stage random sampling techniques. The economic activities, viz., assets acquisition, income generation, welfare activities, household materials, economic power, purchase, income, money lending and savings are the factors influencing the economic empowerment of women through self-help groups. The age group, educational qualification, community, size of family, nativity, occupation, income after joining SHGs and position of members in SHGs are positively and significantly influencing the economic empowerment of women through self help groups at one per cent level of significance. The number of women inclined towards SHG has ever been on the increase which implies that women are aspiring for empowerment. It is found that the SHGs are helping for the economic empowerment of its members.