ACCESS TO CREDIT FOR CRISIS/CONSUMPTION NEEDS MOBILITY LEGITIMATE SPACE IN PUBLIC REALM SELF HELP GROUPS: IMPLICATIONS FOR WOMEN’S LIVES

BUT AT THE HOUSEHOLD LEVEL.. BURDEN OF SAVING AND REPAYMENT  GREATER WORKLOAD “Men are taking economic advantage but they are not sharing the burden of work. The family, village, mandal, district, country – all benefit from SHGs.” LACK OF CONTROL OVER USE OF CREDIT “The decision about what to do with the money is taken by husbands. They tell us what to do. Otherwise he can turn around and say I have nothing to do with you, I don’t know what you have been up to.” Fed. leader, Velugu (DPIP), Chitoor, APSHG member, DWACRA, West Godavari, AP INVISIBILIZING CONTRIBUTION TO DOMESTIC ECONOMY “So far only the men have been doing all the work and bearing the responsibility. Now women are in SHGs share the burden of work… earning… they are not sitting free.” Community co-ordinator Velugu (DPIP), Chitoor, AP

AND AT THE GROUP LEVEL... DEFUNCT GROUPS –- OFTEN NO MEETINGS (APMAS SURVEY IN AP–47%) EXCLUSION OF POOREST OF THE POOR MICRO ENTERPRISE - NON-VIABLE/LOW RATES OF RETURN SHGS FAILING TO ADDRESS LIVELHIHOODS CONCERNS, EG. - ACCESS/CONTROL OVER NATURAL RESOURCES - PROBLEMS WITHIN WAGE WORK (MINIMUM/UNEQUAL WAGES)

64% GROUPS (GO) – NO SOCIAL ISSUES TAKEN UP ISSUES THAT ARE TAKEN UP – MOSTLY ACCESS TO SERVICES LOW LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT WITH GENDER JUSTICE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES - 11% OF SHGS (GO) SEXUAL VIOLENCE CASES - 4% OF SHGS (GO)

“When we define women’s empowerment it means much more, their material and political awareness that helps them to take action to correct the imbalance, but in the context of SHG based programmes we must limit it to the economic realm, otherwise we will have too many things to deal with”. “We think that money is the reason for all changes but money is money – it can’t change society. Ultimately the woman is blamed if she doesn’t pay the money back – not the husband. The other thing is that we cannot listen to the problems that women are facing at home.. nowdays we are concentrating more on finance. (Between) the two agendas of rights and financial goals – one of them becomes a by-product. The two can come into conflict.. We want to take up the issue of dowry also. But it is not possible because it will take up a lot of energy and time.”

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES  LACK OF CAPACITY BUILDING 47% OF (GO) SHGS – NO INPUT  NATURE OF INPUT - GENDER INPUTS TO 6% (GO) SHGS - INPUTS ON LIVELIHOODS/INCOME GENERATION TO 19% (GO) SHGS  LACK OF LITERACY OPPORTUNITIES 39% SHG MEMBERS - LITERATE (NATIONAL LITERACY RATE RURAL WOMEN 47%)

IMPLICATIONS  ACCESS TO LEADERSHIP 69 % LEADERS - LITERATE  ACCESS TO CREDIT 68 % OF THOSE RECEIVING HIGHEST AMOUNTS OF CREDIT ARE LITERATE GROUP LEADERS  ACCESS TO CAPACITY BUILDING GROUP FORMATION TRAINING – LITERATE OR MOSTLY LITERATE PARTICIPANTS - 68 % OF SHGS

WOMEN BANKS  ACCUMULATING SAVINGS  HIGH RATES OF RETURN,  LOW TRANSACTION COSTS  DISALLOWING CREDIT  CONDITIONALITY LOAN RECOVERY STATE  TOOL FOR EMPOWERMENT AND POVERTY REDUCTION  DEVELOPMENT MESSAGES  VOTE BANK  SUBSTITUTE FOR OTHER INPUTS MICRO FINANCE INSTITUTIONS HIGH RATES OF INTEREST NGOS  RESOURCE GENERATION  GROUP FORMATION RAPID DONOR AGENCIES SELF SUSTAINABILITY AGENDA