Role Of Non-Governmental Organizations In Women Empowerment

KEY WORDS: NGO, SHG, Empowerment, Federation, Community Development, Awareness, Facilitation  

Non- governmental organizations are playing  imperative role in the empowerment of women.  They adopt multiple strategies to improve the condition of the women.   Non -governmental organizations are training women in various aspects to make them to come out of their inhibitions and to involve in fruitful activity.  Non -governmental organizations have come to occupy an important place in India.  Non Governmental organizations are legally constituted organizations created by private organizations or people with no participation or representation of any government.  They render help to government and society for the improvement of quality of life of people and also animals from education to health, environment and poverty alleviation.  The scope of NGOs operational areas touches every walk of life (Patel, Dubey, 2010).   The spread NGO activities in the country, as in many other parts of the world, are manifested in a number of spheres and in a wide spectrum of programmes.  In welfare programmes, development oriented activities, empowering women and weaker sections, protecting the rights of marginalized segments, protecting the environment, spreading literacy and education to name a few, the contribution of NGO sector is impressive since independence.    According to one estimate, there are one million NGOs in the country (Jain, 1997).   However, the growth has not been  geographically uniform in different parts of the country (Dhilon and Hansra 1995, Gangrade, 1987, GOI, 1985).  It is difficult to say any association between the number of voluntary organizations and the size of the population.  Highly populated states like Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, for instance, have a very weak presence of voluntary organizations (Gangrade, 1987). Some states, like Maharashtra, West Bengal, Gujarat, and Kerala are ahead of others in the number of organizations (Chowdhry, 1971). 

Objectives of NGOs

• Relentless assistance to the disadvantaged communities
• To  address issues such as Child Labor, good health promotion, education,  promotion of better living, women empowerment and vocational programs for the physically impaired as well as less privileged people
• To create awareness regarding ecological harmony among the mass
• To organize seminars and conferences related to various issues affecting people.

NGO federations could be broadly categorized into 10 groups based on the type of programs and activities. They are;

• Health, nutrition and sanitation
• Environment and forestry
• Water shed and agriculture
• Co-operative and credit
• Women empowerment
• Child development 
• Community development
• Housing and shelter
• Research and training
• Vocational skills development

NGOs Role in Women Empowerment
NGOs are playing a significant role in promoting women empowerment.  These agencies stimulate civic consciousness, mobilize people and ensure the effective participation, and raise internal and external resources for the benefit of the weaker section.  NGOs are making use of variety of strategies to promote women empowerment.  The major role played by the NGOs with regard to women empowerment is as follows.

1. Formation of Self Help Groups: In recent years, many of the NGOs are forming self help groups. The effective functioning of SHGs is mainly depends upon the strong dedication by the NGOs.  Various organizations not only Government but also NGOs have been taking strong stands to meet the demands and brought necessary changes in the field of women Empowerment through SHGs.  On the other hand, it is difficult for the government organizations and could not reach out the grass root level.  So a large number of NGOs have been establishing and have lightened the burden on the Government by rendering dedicated performance towards the aspirants.  These self help groups are the channels to implement various women empowerment activities.  NGOs are the potential agencies for organizing the people and to form the self help groups.  All technicalities relating to the formation of the SHG can be accomplished quite easily by the NGOs with grass root level involvement.  Trained field staffs in micro-credit mechanism are able to comply with all the procedures for the formation of a healthy self help group and can ensure their proper working.  Thus NGOs play a tremendous role in the formation of Self Help groups. 
2. Nurturing Self Help Groups: The nurturing of SHG is more difficult task than the formation of SHG.  The field task need to be trained on the procedures and the technicalities involved in the functioning of the SHG.  The SHGs need continuous monitoring and evaluation.  All the members of the SHG should be trained with regard to maintenance of the documents, communications, decision making process, implementation of decisions etc., NGOs can arrange and conduct the training program more efficiently than by any other agencies due to their continuous interaction and involvement at the grass root level.  NGO like MYRADA has designed certain training modules for training SHGs. 
3. Mobilizing resources:  NGOs are the powerful agencies in identifying the needs and designing projects for the welfare of the disadvantaged. They mobilize both internal and external resources.  The experiences of many NGOs show that they could organize resources for the benefit of women both from the country and outside.
4. Facilitation role:  NGOs can act as change agent or catalyst of various activities like micro credit, education, encouraging for political participation etc.
5. Promoting people's organization:  Promoting organization of the people is an effective strategy adopted by the NGOS especially towards women empowerment.  Apart from SHGs NGOs do promote mahila mandals, yuvathi mandals and various village based committees with adequate representation of women.  NGOs have created a platform for the women to enjoy freedom by forming organizations.

A non-governmental organization (NGO) is task-oriented and driven by people with a common interest, NGOs perform a variety of service and humanitarian functions, bring citizen concerns to Governments, advocate and monitor policies and encourage political participation through provision of information. Some are organized around specific issues, such as human rights, environment or health.  NGOs play a significant role in the empowerment of women.  The experience of various NGOs like MYRADA shows us that they could bring a ray of hope in the lives of women.

REFERENCES:

1. A.K.Patel, M V.Dubey, NGOs and Social Work, Crescent Publishing Corporation, 2010.
2. Dhillon, D.S. and B.S Hansra, Role of Voluntary Organization in Rural Development, Kurukshetra, 43, 1995
3. Gangrade K .D., Integrated Approach to Rural Development with Social Justice, Delhi; National service scheme unit, Delhi School of Social Work, 1997.
4. Jain, NGOs in India; Their Role Influence and Problems in NGOs in Development; Theory and Practice, edited Bava Noorjahan.  New Delhi, Kanishka, 1997.
5. Chowdry D. D.Paul, Voluntary Social Welfare in India, New Delhi, Sterling Publication 1971.

​Website:

1. www.businessdictionary.com/.../non-governmental-organization-NGO.html
2. www.upublish.info/Article/India-NGO---Objectives/331649

Dr. Laxmi
Asst. Professor, Dept. of Studies in Social Work, Mahajana Post Graduate Centre, Mysore

Sandhyarani.M.C
Asst. Professor, Dept. of Studies in Social Work, Mahajana Post Graduate Centre, Mysore