1. Economic Empowerment

Economic Empowerment of Women

Organizing, nurturing, and capacity building of SHGs

Under the MNSY, the economic empowerment component envisages organization and nurturing of women self help groups (SHGs) which would provide confidence and mutual support for women striving for social change; the basic underlying premise for organizing SHGs are that it serves as a forum in which women can critically analyze their situation and devise strategies to overcome their difficulties.

SHG platform also provides a framework for awareness raising, dissemination of information, delivery of services and for developing community self- reliance and collective action, thus facilitating an environment promoting social change.

SHG platform also engages in thrift and credit activities and undertake economic activities to increase incomes of its members.

Block level SHGs’ Federation:

One of the major priorities of the MNSY implementation is the promotion and nurturing of Block level SHGs’ Federations. During the various meetings and trainings the SHGs members are inducted about the importance, objectives and roles and responsibilities of Cluster (Village Organization) and Federation. All the Federations are registered under the Bihar Self Supporting Cooperative Act 1996 and governed by an elected body of member SHGs. The SHG Federations have a very structured management system to coordinate the multi pronged activities such as Self Help Promoting Institutions (SHPIs), Micro Finance Agency and catalyst of entitlements realization.

Major highlights of this effort are as below:

Women leaders from OBC/ SC and minority community leading initiatives for promoting SHG Movement at their villages and panchayats.
SHG federations developed as Self Help Promoting Institutions (SHPIs).
Entrusting community for use and management of resources
Revenue generation instead of a grants model is the focus.
A network of legal cadre created among SHGs members towards developing safety net for prevention of women from violence and atrocities.

The corporation is promoting various activities to achieve the objective of mainstreaming the women from deprived and disadvantaged communities by organizing them for their overall progress and empowerment. The Corporation believes that SHGs can be influential in making women self-reliant and in empowering them to access resources. The main aim is community to community cross learning approach and developing SHG members as resource persons. There is an intention to develop frontline development worker, acting as community resource person to facilitate & mobilize community on institution building, health & entitlement realization process. CRPs are managing their own institutions and also partnering in service delivery for greater programme effectiveness. It would not only bring a qualitative change in their status in society but also improve their standard of living.

67000 SHGs were formed in 69 blocks till 30th June’2014. From 1st July’2014 formation and nurturing of SHGs is being done by Jeevika.