“Role of SHGs in rural women's health advancement” (A case study of Andhra Pradesh)

The process of economic development induces several key changes in the structure of the developing economies that includes the most important change concerns with the participation of women in the health, education, economic, social and political activities. Eradication of poverty is the greatest global challenge facing the world and a core requirement for sustainable development, especially for developing countries like India. Various social groups, especially women bear disproportionate burden of poverty. Discrimination against women can cause deprivations for them in nutritional and health. A women needs to be physically healthy so that she is able to take challenges of equality. But it is lacking in a majority of women in rural areas. Healthy women can lead the family healthily and again it leads to healthy society and overall country. The government now needs to encourage women, especially the rural poor, to set up fresh legislation to give all women an equal right to inheritance and the upliftment of their status through providing financial assistance. Microfinance through Self-Help Groups (SHGs) has become the primary policy tool used by the post liberalization state to fulfill the credit needs of the poor. The main objective of the present study is to examine the microfinance assistance through SHGs impact on rural poor women's health advancement after joining in SHGs in Andhra Pradesh based on the comparison between before and after joining in SHG. Total of 300 women SHG members are randomly selected under SHG scheme from the selected districts of Andhra Pradesh for field survey by employing multi stage random sampling method. Information regarding to the before and after the credit program is collected by using well structured questionnaire through schedule method. The study reveals that the impact of SHGs on getting health advancement of sample respondents is in significant manner.