ISSN: 2639-2119
Authors: Moumita G*
Preamble: This research paper exhibits an exclusive picture of ethnography and the detailed elaborative description of different aspects of empowerment of women through self-help groups in West Bengal. Objectives: This research work was confined to twelve selected SHGs from two villages of North 24-parganas, West Bengal. From January 2013 to January 2015, she collected enormous level of information of eighty (80) selected women from twelve self-help groups. Main aims and objectives of the present research is to measure the empowerment of women through the parameters of SHGs as prevalent among the rural women of West Bengal. Methods: Case-studies is one of the most important methods of ethnography. Here, the ethnographer depicts some significant cases of empowerment of women of respective self-help groups through the help of some ethnographic methods like participant observation, in-depth interview and obviously case study. Findings: Pictures of different levels of empowerment i.e., Economic, Social and Political is seen in this ethnographic account. In North 24-pargana district, Shibdaspur Gram Panchayet consists basically maximum number of Muslim SHG members. For this reason, rate of Political Empowerment among SHG women is very low in those areas. But, the result of Economic Empowerment as well as Social Empowerment is satisfactory.
Keywords: Ethnography; Research; Empowerment; Self-Help Group; Women
