Group Approach as a Tool for Women Empowerment - A Study

Women in a patriarchal society like India have been suffering since ancient times. The prevailing gender inequality acts as barriers in the path of women empowerment. In rural areas, especially, the condition is at its worst. The women in rural areas are suppressed by three forces. The first one is, of course, their gender- they are women. The second factor is poverty which is followed by the third factor, i.e. social backwardness. These three forces combine together and play havoc in the lives of women living in rural parts of India. Without empowering women, it is impossible for a nation to develop. To achieve empowerment in its complete sense, development should be reflected at all levels. Without improving the conditions of these rural women, it is impossible for us to achieve woman empowerment. Self-Help Groups play a major role in helping these women to live a life of dignity and economic independence. These groups influence social, economic, and mental powers of women to a great extent. This group approach can be instrumental in bringing change in the lives of the women helping the country in achieving women empowerment. This paper focuses on the role that these groups play to help the rural women to achieve a means of sustainable livelihood and to provide better future for their families, in particular, and the nation, in general. This paper also analyses how this group approach is essential for achieving our goal of women empowerment in our country. Puspita Das | Ayuta Mohanty"Group Approach as a Tool for Women Empowerment - A Study" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-2 | Issue-1 , December 2017, URL: http://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd5937.pdf http://www.ijtsrd.com/humanities-and-the-arts/home-science/5937/group-approach-as-a-tool-for-women-empowerment---a-study/puspita-das