Women's Empowerment in Water Section Through Self Help Groups

The role of women in environmental management is now widely recognized,especially in the developing countries. Today Self Help Groups (SHGs)are not only playing a major role in the empowerment of women but we also see that the place of SHGs in watershed strategy is accepted by the Government of India.This study presents some of the activities of the NGOs in Mysore City, who work on the gender issue,such as the empowerment of women through development programmes. The involvement of the SHGs in watershed management programmes through training programs by considering the environmental issue allows women to become partners in environmental management.The results showed that the majority of people who participate in voluntary community work are women. As their awareness,attitude,skill, capacity as well as sensitivity to environment makes them responsible for taking action to resolve environmental problems. Also this study shows that women who are working as members of SHGs are more interested in training programmes and group activities when compared to the others.