DOI: 10.36347/sjebm.2020.v07i05.004

Pages: 183-196

The empowerment is the process of obtaining basic opportunities for marginalized people, either directly or indirectly by the government, NGOs and non-marginalized people in the society. In recent years, the rural women are gaining empowerment with the support of various developmental programs initiated for the women development from time to time. One of the important program for women development and empowerment is the Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in the country as a whole. With the help of SHGs, the rural women are gaining income and employment opportunities. With the income generation and asset creation through Self-Help Groups, they are empowered socially, economically, educationally, politically and psychologically in the society. The SHGs in several parts of the country have achieved success in bringing the women to the major stream of decision making. The SHGs in our country have become a source of inspiration for women’s welfare and formation of SHGs is a viable alternative to achieve the objectives of rural development and to get community participation in all rural development programs which in turn is providing women empowerment in all aspects. The present study is focused on empowerment of women through SHGs with a basis of before and after the SHG programs in the study area.