Changes in the Position and Status of Women's Group Within the Community
Publication Date: 2004
Published by: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Document Type: Case Study
Empowering women through savings and credit
This paper is final in a series of four case studies of the Savings and Credit based micro finance program of Swayam Shikshan Prayog (SSP), a NGO working in the Indian states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. The study was commissioned by the UNDP office in India and was sponsored by the ICICI Bank.
SSP supports women's savings and credit programs by promoting SHGs and linking them with banks and other sources of funds. This paper highlights how community processes enable women to participate in the society in a more meaningful manner. The processes which enable SSP's members to address societal concerns are:
- Problem analysis by association of women through data gathering, village mapping and group discussions;
- Discussions with village elders regarding development issues;
- Negotiations with government for better services;
- Mobilizing resources for developmental activities as well as monitoring resource utilization.
The author states that SSP's inputs prepare women for:
- Collective action on social issues;
- Participation in gram panchayat activities;
- Entry into local planning processes;
- Accessing development resources;
- Building contacts with district and taluka officials;
- Implementing village development schemes.
The author concludes that while SSP'
s intervention has positively impacted women's empowerment, important issues such as domestic violence against women still need to be addressed.
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