EMPOWERINGWOMEN THROUGH SELF HELP GROUPS A STUDY of APPLIQUÉWORKERS OF PIPILI ODISHA

Abstract

Empowerment does not mean setting women against men. Empowerment is one of the most newlineloosely used terms in the development lexicon, meaning different things to different people or newlinemore dangerously all things to all people. The parameters of empowerment are: building a newlinepositive self-image and self-confidence, developing the ability to think critically, building up newlinegroup cohesion; fostering decision making and action, ensuring equal participation in the process newlineof bringing about social change, encouraging group action in order to bring about change in the newlinesociety and providing the wherewithal for economic independence. It means redistribution of newlinework roles, redistributing their values to the changing world and attitudes and evolving new newlinekinds of adjustments, understanding and trust with each other. Women s concerns have to be newlinekept at the centre of public policy, developmental planning and governance, with recognition of newlinetheir role as critical growth agents and as ambassadors of social change. Political parties have to newlinerealize that the issues pertaining to women are not issues to be dealt with separately by women newlineonly. SHGs are regarded as a prominent vehicle for empowerment of poor women in almost all newlinethe developing countries including India. Odisha is no exception as regards the role played by newlineSHGs, for emancipation and empowerment of poor women. The present study is an attempt to newlineexamine the impact of participation in SHGs on the lives of women appliqué workers involved in newlineit. The focus is to develop insight into the process of empowerment of women in terms of not newlineonly economic but also personal and social empowerment. The concept of empowerment of newlinewomen has been analyzed at individual, familial and societal levels. Pipili has been chosen as newlinefield of empirical investigation. Pipili is a small town situated on state highway 8, on the newlineJagannath trunk road, nearly twenty kilometers from Bhubaneswar, the state capital, and forty newlinekilometers from Puri, site of the famous temple of Lord Jagannath on the coast. The broad newline