Womens Empowerment in India: A Comparative Study on Regional Disparities Through SHGsAcross Indian States

The Self-Help Groups (SHGs) have become a transformative mechanism in women's empowerment in India by giving them an opportunity to become financially independent, strengthen their decision-making capacity and facilitate social mobility.This study makes a comparative assessment of women's empowerment driven by SHGs in different Indian states, assesses the sustainability of women's empowerment after participation in SHGs, and identifies the challenges faced by women after dejection from the SHG framework.The analysis rests on a descriptive research approach, and the secondary data are based on government publications, national surveys, and SHG focused studies.In the research, the regional variation in empowerment outcomes, income levels, savings patterns and access to credit is evaluated through both quantitative and qualitative approaches.The findings show considerable state heterogeneity in SHG led empowerment: SC/ST participation is elevated in Rajasthan and Odisha and there are marked gains in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.Participation in SHGs has a strong positive impact on women's incomes in the short term: business ownership increases from 10 per cent to over 40 per cent and incomes go up by up to 50 per cent.It is nevertheless difficult to continue to have long term benefits.Within three to five years after exiting SHGs, about 50% of women say that their businesses become less sustainable, savings erode, and they lose influence in decisions in the home.In addition, 60 percent struggle to access credit and skill development opportunities.The study finds that Self Help Groups (SHGs) act effectively in short term empowerment, however, sustained outcomes require addressing wider constraints concerned with social, familial and market dynamics.This is imperative in ensuring that these empowerment impacts are long lasting and scalable beyond SHG membership.