Shodh Prabha: A Multidisciplinary Journal

Women’s Participation in Self-Help Groups and Socio-Economic Empowerment in Rural Uttar Pradesh

Women’s participation in Self-Help Groups has emerged as an important strategy for rural socio-economic empowerment in Uttar Pradesh. SHGs provide rural women with access to savings, internal lending, formal credit, livelihood opportunities, training and government welfare schemes. This study examines the role of SHGs in improving women’s financial inclusion, livelihood participation, household decision-making, social mobility and institutional involvement. The study is descriptive and analytical in nature and is based on secondary sources such as government reports, UPSRLM documents, NABARD reports, MoSPI data and related academic literature. The analysis shows that SHGs have positively contributed to women’s savings habits, confidence, awareness and access to financial services. However, their impact on income generation, market access and leadership remains uneven due to patriarchal norms, caste-based barriers, low literacy, weak training and limited enterprise support. The study concludes that SHGs can become effective instruments of women’s empowerment when financial inclusion is combined with sustainable livelihoods, digital literacy, market linkage and inclusive leadership development.