Women in Action: The Role of Shg in Women Empowerment in Goalpara District, Assam

Abstract

Since the late mid-twentieth century, the concept and action of women empowerment have gained popularity. Scholars particularly feminists have emphasized upon the ways and means for upholding the dignity and position of the women in society. Self Help Group (SHG) is such a platform, which have since its inception in 1976, proved a big success in hastening economic growth and development of the whole nation by bringing together the members of the society in a collective fashion. As most of the SHG's in India are rural-centric and women-oriented, this in turn has helped in speeding up the progress of the women folk, who were left behind since history. However the performance of SHG does differ with respect to a particular community as well as with geographical area. Thus the main intention of the paper is to examine the role of SHG's in women empowerment at the selected villages under Rangjuli Revenue Circle of Goalpara district of Assam. The study is rural-centric and specifically focuses upon women group, as they are deemed to be the most vulnerable section of the society. Basically based upon primary survey, the study suggests that about 83 per cent of the surveyed women folk (out of total 188 women members) have benefitted much and feel empowered after being associated with SHG. Infact SHG's have casted its influence upon their personal as well as social life, rendering them respectful position in the family as well as community at large.