Assessing the Impact of JEEViKA in the Economic Empowerment of Rural Women in Siwan District, Bihar

Abstract

Women’s economic empowerment is an important pillar of rural development. Self-Help Groups (SHGs) provide platform to rural women for savings, credit, training and income-generating activities. In Bihar, JEEViKA has supported more than 10 lakhs of rural women through SHGs and livelihood opportunities. The present study attempts to assess the level of economic empowerment of rural women participating in JEEViKA in Siwan district, Bihar. It examined the association of selected JEEViKA participation characteristics with economic empowerment. Primary data were collected using a structured questionnaire from 200 JEEViKA beneficiaries from different blocks of Siwan district. Economic empowerment was measured using six indicators on a 5-point Likert scale. Descriptive statistics, Cronbach’s alpha, one-sample t-test, independent samples t-test and Spearmen’s rank correlation were used for analysis. The study revealed that respondents are mainly from the age group of 41-50 years and major part of the respondents have no educational qualification. A number of income generating activities has been taken by respondents after joining JEEViKA. The findings indicated that active participation, training and access to credit were more closely associated with economic empowerment than duration of membership. The study suggests strengthening of training process, credit support, financial literacy and employment generating opportunities to women for a stable income.