Health Care and Women's Empowerment: The role of Self Help Groups

A N Jha,S Chakravarty

doi:10.5195/hcs.2012.56

Abstract

Over the last couple of decades the concept of Self Help Groups (SHGs) and its potential as an effective tool to alleviate poverty and empower women has garnered considerable interest worldwide. Considering the importance given by policy makers across various nations to the group approach while conceptualizing, formulating and implementing any scheme or programme for the welfare of marginalized and underprivileged sections of the society (especially women), we identified the need to critically examine and explore the role of SHGs in the empowerment of women with a special emphasis on health status. To date, the functioning of SHGs has essentially been viewed only from an economic perspective. The existing approach puts encourages the economic development of women, with SHGs a mechanism to achieving this. However, how these economic benefits are being translated into the change in women’s status, particularly their health status, remains unexplored and ultimately unaddressed. This working research paper attempts to review the scope and limitations of SHGs in improving women’s health and empowerment based upon empirical work undertaken in the Jharkhand state of India. Our paper also explores the extent to which SHGs can be involved in attaining better health status for women, and thereby point the way for further research.

Highlights

The concept of Self Help GroupsSHGs are voluntary associations of 10-20 persons who come together to solve their problems based upon mutual help and collective basis
The SHG movement has gained momentum in India since the 1990s and various such groups are functioning in villages striving to bring about an upliftment in the socio-economic status of those who join, thereby empowering them
Development indicators in Jharkhand are markedly unfavorable to both the all-India average and the major Indian States

Summary

Introduction

SHGs are voluntary associations of 10-20 persons (generally women) who come together to solve their problems based upon mutual help and collective basis. The comprehensive and still up-to-date definition of self help groups given by Katz & Bender 1976 bodes well: Self help groups are voluntary, small group structures for mutual aid and the accomplishment of a special purpose They are usually formed by peers who have come together for mutual assistance in satisfying a common need, overcoming a common handicap or life-disrupting problem, and bringing about desired social and/or personal change. It is an active, multidimensional process, which enables women to realize their full identity and power in all spheres of life. In such a context of empowerment it is assumed that when women come together via SHGs they find strength and move towards further knowledge and greater social actualization

Jharkhand State: the Socio-Economic Scenario

Research

Findings

Discussion of preliminary findings