Published Paper Details:

Women contributed significantly to the development of society and the economy by upholding a variety of standards, including those around procreation, home responsibilities, and productive endeavors. The majority of developing nations, however, discriminate against women based on their gender. Based on their standing in relation to other family members, women who live in the same home are subject to a number of constraints. As a result, women's power and options are constrained not just by their unique traits but also by the outside forces that have an impact on them, such as constitutional rights, societal norms, and domestic circumstances (Bolt, V. J. a. B., Kate,2003). Even though the Indian Constitution guarantees women equal rights, cultural and sociological barriers prevent Indian women from taking advantage of this right (Sen, A. ,2001). The key causes include financial dependency, the population's gender ratio, health state, pay disparities, and a lesser level of involvement in household decision-making. While the status of women has improved over the past 20 years, societal and institutional barriers continue to limit the opportunities for gender equality in areas including job, caregiving, and domestic freedoms (Stewart, S ,2004). In India, the government and non-governmental organizations are working to facilitate and improve the opportunities available to women by focusing on empowerment strategies to bring women from a condition of dependency to a state of independence. This paper is an attempt to understand the concept of Women empowerment and how the Self Help Groups as an agency used to uplift the status of women. It will also focus on the role of National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) in empowering the women in Himachal Pradesh.