Woman Entrepreneurship Through SHGs in Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

Entrepreneurship development and income generating activities are a feasible solution for empowering women. It generates income and also provides flexible working hours according to the needs of home makers. Economic independence is the need of the hour. Participation in income generating activities helps in the overall empowerment of women. Empowering women through education, ideas, consciousness, mobilization and participatory approach can enable them to take their own decisions, make them selfreliant and self-confident. Although women are taking on important positions in the business sector, they continue to face barriers to their entrepreneurial activities, compared to their male counterparts. Women still have to struggle with their traditional role in order to balance career and household responsibilities. They have to endure negative social value and cultural bias that lead to unfair perceptions about their ability to operate a business and legal constraints also limit the pursuit of economic independence by women.