Comparative Study of Empowerment of Members and Non-Members of SHGs in Karnataka

In the recent years empowerment of women has been recognized as a central issue in determining the status of women. The participation of women in SHG have made a significant impact on women empowerment both social and economic aspects. Empowerment of women is essential for development of full potential of our total human resources. Empowerment of women is therefore pressing need of the day. Various dimensions of empowerment include psychological, political, social and economic empowerment. Psychological empowerment means to establish individual identity, self image, increasing self esteem and developing capabilities. The study was conducted in Karnataka state during 2014-15. Eight districts from all four geographical divisions were selected for the study viz., Chitraduraga, Ramanagara, Chikkaballapur, Bagalkot, Belagavi, Dharwad, Koppal and Mandya. From each district 50 Self help groups formed between 2005-2010 were randomly selected. Thus the total 400 SHG’s were selected for the study. From each SHG three members were taken as respondents. Against each SHG two non members were selected from the same village. Thus the total sample consisted of 2000 respondents among which 1200 were members and 800 were non-members.As the SHGs have made the women to come out of their houses, farm groups interact with members by attending meeting, hence it has given way for the improvement in their socio- life psychological attitudes thus the SHGs have helped the members to empower socio-psychologically. But the non-members have not got such opportunity and hence their empowerment level is low compared to members of SHG’s. 92 per cent of the non-members have low level of economic empowerment whereas only 56.92 members are at low level, only 4 per cent of the non-members but 38.25 per cent members are at medium level of economic empowerment with regard to high level almost equal percentage i.e. 4.83 per cent members and four per cent non-members are at this level of economic empowerment. It is also clear that the empowerment status of members is greater than non-members in all the cases. This clearly indicates that the Self help groups have helped women to improve in all dimensions of empowerment and in turn overall empowerment which leads to development of women as well as nation. Thus Shakthi Shakthi movement has gone a long way in empowering the rural women.