A 30 Year bibliometric analysis on the role of women self-help groups in achieving well-being and sustainable development goals

Abstract In the last 30 years, Self-Help Groups (SHGs) have emerged as a powerful tool in the promotion of the well-being of women and sustainable development. This article conducts a systematic bibliometric review of 387 peer-reviewed articles between 1994 and 2024 to track trends, influential contributions, and thematic evolutions in SHG research. With reference to the Scopus database, utilising Bibliometrics and TCCM (Theory–Context–Characteristics–Methodology) frameworks, the paper presents a map of the intellectual structure and conceptual patterns of the literature. Results reveal SHGs’ influence on various dimensions of well-being such as economic empowerment, social cohesion, access to health services, leadership, and psychosocial resilience. Research on SHG has increasingly been associated with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 1 (No Poverty); SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being); SDG 5 (Gender Equality); SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). Four major themes emerged from this study:’ financial inclusion and empowerment’, ‘maternal and child health’, ‘social support and good health, and gendered leadership and collective agency’. The structured TCCM analysis of 91 high-quality ABDC-listed articles was performed to obtain qualitative insights into the SHG–SDG-development nexus. The results uncover a theoretical fragmentation, geographic concentration of research, insufficient methodological diversity, and under-explored themes such as digital inclusion and multi-dimensional development impacts. This review highlights the potential of SHGs as a bottom-up approach to achieving the SDGs, gender-inclusive development, and the increased agency of women in sustainable and context-specific ways.