Recasting Citizenship for Development - File UPI

324 MANDAKINI PANT
decision-making. Their access to essential services, entitlements and rights
has been difficult.
Women in Self-Help Groups
Poor women are mobilised to form SHGs for savings and credit activities.
The members take on economic activities in a systematic manner, participate
directly in decision-making, and share the risks, costs and benefits
on an equitable basis. Enhanced organisational leadership skills increase
women’s economic options, promote their sense of worth and empower
them politically. Studies on SHGs have reported a number of changes in
their lives, which could be deemed as empowering. Women have gained
control over produce and income. Self-earned income has instilled in
them a sense of pride and confidence in their ability to manage on their
own. Membership in SHGs, easy accessibility to loans and engagement
in micro-enterprise facilitated the women’s inclusion in household
decision-making. They are now able to negotiate with their husbands on
crucial matters. The training programmes have reinforced a collective
identity among the members. The learning and exchange between women’s
groups have enhanced their confidence. Meetings and sharing of experiences
have made them sensitive to each other, as well as to the community’s
needs. They are emerging as strong power groups. They negotiate confidently
with government officials, moneylenders and outsiders (Pant
2004). The results clearly indicate that these groups have the potential to
work cohesively on issues concerning women, as well as go beyond their
mandate of savings and credit activities to local self-governance.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
This chapter seeks to document the potential that some SHGs displayed
to make PRIs responsive to the concerns of women. The following are its
key premises:
SHGs are an effective interface for poor women to deal constructively
with PRIs. They have the potential to: (i) provide a basis for
collective action around wider community and gender needs in
panchayats and (ii) lobby for the inclusion of women’s interests
in panchayats.