EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDIA THROUGH SELF-HELP GROUPS: A REVIEW

Abstract

In India, there is a significant shift towards socio-economic transformation, with
Women Self-Help Groups emerging as pivotal entrepreneurial organizations that not only
contribute to their own advancement but also to the overall economy. The challenges faced by
women entrepreneurs in a developing country like India, particularly in rural areas where
economic opportunities for women are limited, are manifold. However, Self-Help Groups
(SHGs) have played a crucial role in empowering rural women and fostering economic
independence. This paper presents a literature review focusing on Self-Help Groups in
Entrepreneurship and their impact on rural women. While the review highlights the positive
outcomes of SHGs, it also identifies a lack of theoretical framework in existing research and
calls for more empirical studies to validate key variables in this domain. The study concludes
with a synthesis of existing literature and provides recommendations for future research in this
area