JJEM: Special Edition 3 (January 2025)
JJEM: Special Edition 3 (January 2025)
2025-01-20
From Community to Commerce: The Empowering Role of Self-Help Groups in Women's Entrepreneurship
Vinutha P Shenoy, Dr. V. Vikram
In terms of women's development, empowerment is the process of identifying, confronting, and removing obstacles in a woman's life to have more control over her surroundings and life. India wants its women to be self-sufficient and independent in the future. Regrettably, the actual and potential role of women in society has been overlooked due to centuries of conservatism, ignorance, and inertia, preventing them from contributing to social progress as they should. Additionally, they are denied their proper status due to inaccurate and/or incomplete information regarding their contributions to the family and society. Women have entered various business domains and gained awareness of their rights and circumstances. They have built prosperous business empires of their own. They are improving their socioeconomic circumstances and assisting in the expansion of the economy. The Indian government has made women's empowerment a priority, and various programs have been put in place to support female entrepreneurs. The country's female workforce ratio is rising due to India's rising female literacy rate. In certain Indian states, the idea of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) has been shown to benefit rural women. Their social standing and income have both increased as a result. This paper also provides an overview of how self-help groups (SHGs) operates, the financial assistance they provide and the benefits the women are getting from joining these SHGs.
Self-help groups, Women Entrepreneurs, Financial Assistance, and Women's Empowerment.