Self help group – a tool for women empowerment

A self-help group (SHG) is a village-based financial intermediary committee usually composed of 10–20 local women or men. Most self-help groups are located in India, though SHGs can also be found in other countries. It typically comprises a group of micro entrepreneurs having homogeneous social and economic back grounds. Self-help groups are seen as instruments for a variety of goals including empowering women, developing leadership abilities among poor people, increasing school enrollments, and improving nutrition and the use of birth control. The Government of India and state authorities alike have increasingly realized the importance of devoting attention to the economic betterment and development of rural women in India. The Indian Constitution guarantees that there shall be no discrimination on the grounds of gender. Low interest loans will be provided to over 25 lakh women self-help groups (SHGs) across the country under a central programme launched to wipe out absolute poverty from the villages through women empowerment. The poor people in time of their emergency run to the door of the landlords and money lenders to fulfill their credit needs and this comes usually at a very high interest.