Case study on Innovative Scheme for Women'S empoWerment in Haryana

The paper is based on the study on a scheme for women‘s empowerment in the Indian state of Haryana. The scheme Sakshar Mahila Samooh is an innovative strategy of empowering rural women through the formation of village-based women organization. The study was conducted in three districts using qualitative and quantitative approach to explore the scheme and its impact on the empowerment of the women. The present paper gives brief case studies of women empowerment through this innovative program and analysis of focus group discussion held with the members of the scheme to explore the scheme and identify various empowerment themes. The focus discussions were transcribed manually to analyse the data. The study finds that the scheme has empowered it members (rural women) socially, psychologically, politically and economically. The scheme works innovatively by creating social awareness, social mobilization and giving identity to the literate and educated rural women to discharge responsibilities of uplifting the rural communities.