Title: Are SHGs catalysts for rural empowerment? Impact assessment of Stree Shakti interventions in India

Authors: Vanishri R. Hundekar

Addresses: KLS Gogte Institute of Technology, Belagavi, Karnataka, India

Abstract: Self-Help Group (SHG) is a crucial initiative to enable financial inclusion with multiple aims like access to microcredit, enabling income generation, savings and thereby eventually empowering the poor. This study attempts to evaluate if SHGs can be a change agent influencing women's empowerment. Findings revealed that there is an increase in the average income, and savings of SHG members. Microfinance related loan augment was found to be causing a significant difference in their empowerment level. Social and legal awareness caused a considerable impact on the social empowerment of members and better access to credit facilities has the significant impact on their economic empowerment followed by access to resources and promotional assistance. While study for longer term effect is desirable, even in the short term the program helped to improve the consumption and income generation. SHG program could well be the catalyst to achieve inclusive growth. The study offers important policy suggestions.

Keywords: SHG; self-help group; women empowerment; financial inclusion; income generation; microcredit and micro savings; rural women; microfinance; Stree Shakti program.

DOI: 10.1504/IJFSM.2020.108900

International Journal of Financial Services Management, 2020 Vol.10 No.1, pp.77 - 97

Received: 26 Dec 2019
Accepted: 01 Jul 2020
Published online: 05 Aug 2020 *