Publication

Abstract : The study is based on the theme of the Conference, “Facing the Challenges together”. The study concentrates on the transitional status of Indian women, the challenges they have to face, in general. The main theme is to describe on the aspects of women empowerment and to give an overview on the major steps taken by the nation in that connection and on the concept of Self Help Groups (SHGs). The study highlights some of the main objectives of SHGs with regard to women empowerment. Kerala is a small state which has the highest female sex ratio in the country. So explanations regarding SHGs are given mainly from the background of Kerala. The attempt of the researchers is to bring out the importance of women empowerment in the present scenario and the involvement of SHGs in it. SHGs in Kerala are mainly meant to empower the rural poor especially the women in rural areas, but the study concludes that if these SHGs are formed by mixing up women in the upper financial strata along with womenin the lower financial strata, the combination would bring out miracles. Facing the challenges together is far better than making trials standing alone