Can self-help group programs improve women’s empowerment? A systematic review

Brody, Carinne; Hoop, Thomas de; Vojtkova, Martina; Warnock, Ruby; Dunbar, Megan; Murthy, Padmini; Dworkin, Shari L.

doi:10.1080/19439342.2016.1206607

Cited by 133 publications

(143 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…In majority, these SHG members are women, as the SHG model is believed to be particularly appropriate for working towards women empowerment based on the idea that collective action is most effective in fighting patriarchy. Recently, Brody et al (2017) have released the first systematic review of the impacts of SHGs on various dimensions of women empowerment, taking in 23 quantitative impact studies and 11 qualitative ones. With the exception of the psychological dimension, the study reports positive impacts.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Women Empowerment Through Self-Help Groups: The Bittersweet Fruits of Collective Apple Cultivation in Highland Ethiopia

Alemu

Kempen

Ruben

2018

Journal of Human Development and Capabilities

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This paper deals with the impact of self-help groups (SHGs) in apple production on empowering women in the Chencha district of Southern Ethiopia. Impact is traced on the basis of a cross-sectional survey among SHG members and nonmembers, using propensity score matching. Apart from the attitudinal changes among SHG and non-SHG women, we also scrutinize differences in male attitudes concerning the status of women. The results point towards positive and significant impacts of SHG participation on empowerment at the community level, which suggests that SHGs offer an effective space for women to share information and raise awareness about their rights. This could in turn be harnessed collectively to negotiate more "room to maneuver" in the community. At the same time, however, the data hint at negative effects from group participation at the household level. The attitudinal differences between treatment and control group indicate more conflictive relations between spouses, arguably due to an intensified fight to assert control over household resources. Hence, the evidence is consistent with a potential "backlash effect" from husbands.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Women Empowerment Through Self-Help Groups: The Bittersweet Fruits of Collective Apple Cultivation in Highland Ethiopia

Alemu

Kempen

Ruben

2018

Journal of Human Development and Capabilities

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“…Underlying mechanisms determining the outcomes appeared to relate to handling goods and money, and social ties and support. Similar to the economic and livelihood groups reported from South Asia [14,40,41], early engagement in income generation activities, involved all members in handling goods and money, whether it was small bags of maize flour and rice, or Kenyan shillings as their weekly contributions to the group. Every meeting started with collecting and recording the week's subscriptions, and whilst the elected roles of chair, secretary and treasurer led the transactions among the membership, the process involved all the members.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Reported benefits include financial support [38,41]; social support and acceptance by other members of the family [5,41,42]; growth in confidence for self-expression and reduction in domestic abuse [43] and improved family relations [44]. However, despite such positive outcomes, SHGs have been criticised for a lack of research rigour with insufficient detail on processes and activities underpinning the outcomes [40]. This resonates findings on other CBR/CBID initiatives [45,46].…”

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confidence: 98%

“…Self-help initiatives have been reported with a range of stakeholder groups in low and middle income countries, including caregivers of children with disabilities in Ghana [5]; mental health service users in Ghana [38] and Uganda [39]; economic and livelihood groups for women in South Asia [14,40,41]; social support for adolescents with visual impairments in Jordan [42]. Reported benefits include financial support [38,41]; social support and acceptance by other members of the family [5,41,42]; growth in confidence for self-expression and reduction in domestic abuse [43] and improved family relations [44].…”

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confidence: 99%

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Empowering self-help groups for caregivers of children with disabilities in Kilifi, Kenya: Impacts and their underlying mechanisms

Bunning¹,

Gona²,

Newton³

et al. 2020

PLoS ONE

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Bringing up a child with disabilities in a low-income setting is challenged by inadequate resources, limited psycho-social support and poverty. Not surprisingly, many caregivers experience fatigue, distress and isolation. To address and investigate these issues, action was taken to set up twenty self-help groups focusing on caregiver empowerment. A realist evaluation design was adopted to evaluate impacts associated with the self-help process and to identify mechanisms determining the outcomes. Monthly monitoring visits were conducted to the groups during a ten-month set-up period, at the end of which eleven active groups remained, nine having dissolved due to disputes, corruption and extreme environmental conditions. A facilitated intervention was delivered to the active groups (N = 154) over a six-month period. The members were guided to review and discuss topics such as economic empowerment, personal situation, peer support, community inclusion, access to health and education. Evaluation employed mixed methods using questionnaires (n = 75) and semi-structured interviews (n = 36) pre-and post-intervention. At baseline, the burden of caregiving was characterised by aloneness, challenges, stigma and discrimination. Post-intervention, caregiver agency was defined by togetherness, capacity-building, acceptance and well-being. Significant impacts associated with caregiver perceptions included increased social support, reduced severity of child's disability and decreased effects of extrinsic factors affecting the caregiver's role. Mechanisms of 'handling goods and money' and 'social ties and support' appeared to underpin the outcomes. Caregiver empowerment was associated with newly developed skills, social connectedness and resource mobilisation. Documentation of group processes contributes to the evidence on community-based inclusive development. PLOS ONEPLOS ONE | https://doi.org/10.

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“…In the last five years a number of systematic reviews have confirmed that results are mixed and effectiveness on a range of indicators of income and wellbeing is, at best, modest and that microcredit and microsavings reduced poverty in some circumstances for some of the clients some of the time (Duvendack et al 2011;Stewart et al 2011;Vaessen et al, 2015;Brody et al 2016). Indeed it seems that the potential for positive changes to occur via microfinance are dependent upon "context, commitment and capacity" (Kabeer 2005).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Microfinance and Gender: Issues, Challenges and The Road Ahead

Garikipati

Johnson

Guérin

et al. 2016

The Journal of Development Studies

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This special collection examines the claim that microfinance promotes gender equality. The focus is on three areas of the debate: first, the question of how successful microfinance has been in empowering women; second, whether and how negative gender discrimination operates within the sector; third, how power relations within and beyond the household shape the context and outcomes of microfinance initiatives. The papers in this collection demonstrate the divergence of circumstances and emphasise the need to go beyond the past searches for a simple narrative regarding the impact of microfinance. Rather, as the sector evolves and is incorporated into the mainstream financial system, the challenge ahead for researchers is to marshal the evidence on gendered dynamics to ensure that the gains made are built on through deeper understanding of why impact outcomes and processes differ and use this to inform new initiatives to further gender equality. 2 AbstractThis special collection examines the claim that microfinance promotes gender equality. The focus is on three areas of the debate: first, the question of how successful microfinance has been in empowering women; second, whether and how negative gender discrimination operates within the sector; third, how power relations within and beyond the household shape the context and outcomes of microfinance initiatives. The papers in this collection demonstrate the divergence of circumstances and emphasise the need to go beyond the past searches for a simple narrative regarding the impact of microfinance. Rather, as the sector evolves and is incorporated into the mainstream financial system, the challenge ahead for researchers is to marshal the evidence on gendered dynamics to ensure that the gains made are built on through deeper understanding of why impact outcomes and processes differ and use this to inform new initiatives to further gender equality.3

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Can self-help group programs improve women’s empowerment? A systematic review

Cited by 133 publications

References 39 publications

Women Empowerment Through Self-Help Groups: The Bittersweet Fruits of Collective Apple Cultivation in Highland Ethiopia

Women Empowerment Through Self-Help Groups: The Bittersweet Fruits of Collective Apple Cultivation in Highland Ethiopia

Empowering self-help groups for caregivers of children with disabilities in Kilifi, Kenya: Impacts and their underlying mechanisms

Microfinance and Gender: Issues, Challenges and The Road Ahead

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