|
METHODOLOGY
3.1. It must be
understood by all project partners (stakeholders) that the
project is part of an ambitious an empowerment process.
It is essential to follow the process without skipping
steps or jumping levels or putting the cart before the
horse.
3.2 Group Formation
3.2.1. Group formation will be preceded by a
village-level household survey, which will provide the
base-line data. This should be conducted by
Non-Governmental Organizations, for which techniques like
Social Mapping, Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) /
Participatory Learning & Action (PLA) and Wealth
Ranking should be used to identify the poorest
habitations in every Panchayat, the poorest households in
such poor habitations and the most disadvantaged women
among these households. These women would be the
target group for the project.
3.2.2 To facilitate sustainability the size of the
groups should be in the range of 12-20. In no case should
the group size exceed 20. The age group for the membership
will be 21 to 60. The members should all be married women.
Preferences will be given for the poorest women
amongst the target group, with focus on widows, divorcees,
deserted, handicapped women and women belonging to SC/ST
and other socially backward communities. In any case
all members must be below the poverty line. Also
the poorest habitations identified by social mapping shall
be covered first.
3.2.3. By and large the groups must be mixed groups,
being composed of members from the different communities
as far as possible. However, in the case of hamlets and
colonies populated exclusively by members of a particular
community, such exclusive groups may also be formed. These
will depend upon the local conditions. Also having more
than one member of the same family in the same SHG is
to be strictly avoided, as this would lead to bias in
decision-making and poor group dynamics. Group
formation should be cleared by NGO & PIU, which would
be after a period of 3 months from the commencement of
group functioning, to ensure proper targeting of the
poorest and disadvantaged sections of society.
3.3 Group Meetings
3.3.1 The group must meet every week for
savings and repayment collections and every fortnight for
discussing all other matters in addition to savings and
repayment. In certain cases the meetings can be once in 10
days for both savings and repayment and other matters,
instead of weekly and fortnightly. In no case must group
meetings be held less frequently than once in 10 days.
3.3.2 Group meetings need to be conducted with a
certain discipline in relation to regularity, time and
items to be discussed. There needs to be a fixed day /
date every week / 10 days, on which day and time the
meeting is to be conducted. Any member, including the
animator/ representative, who without prior intimation to
the group, either does not turn up or turns up late, is to
pay a fine as imposed by the group on such member. The
fine amount can be decided by the group. It has ranged
from Re.1/- to Rs.5/- in different groups for coming late,
and Rs.5/- to Rs.10/- for missing a meeting. This fine
would not only bring in a discipline but would also add to
group common fund resources. After jointly taking the Mahalir
Thittam pledge, the SHG meeting has to commence with
certain items such as savings, rotation of sangha funds,
bank loans and repayments, social and community action
programmes, must be discussed in every meeting without
fail. Further, there needs to be special agenda, or set of
items to be discussed in each meeting. The monthly
newsletter "Mutram" needs to be read in every
meeting and topics discussed.
3.3.3. It is the duty of the NGO cluster coordinator to
ensure that intra-SHG democracy is maintained. If
any animator or representative appears to dominate the
proceedings, they have to be cautioned, moderated and
advised to ensure democratic functioning of the SHG. Transparency
in SHG transactions is very essential. Loud reading
of the minutes(resolutions) and fund balances of the SHG
by the animator or any member should be done at the
end of the meeting itself and again at the beginning of
the next meeting, so that, members do not claim ignorance
of certain decisions or financial transactions of the SHG.
Interference by an external person (non-member) should
be strictly avoided in order to ensure smooth development
of the SHG.
3.4 Group Maintenance Fund
3.4.1 To supplement the group fund, an amount of
Rs.15/- per member is to be collected initially on group
formation, which will be in addition to the group savings.
This will cover the cost of stationery, rubber stamps,
register, postage etc. After six months another one time
collection of Rs.10/- is also to be made.
3.4.2 The member of the group should also contribute a
minimum of Rs.2/- per month per member as Group
Maintenance Fund. This could be utilised for certain minor
purposes like TA for bank visits, purchase of stationery
items, etc.
3.4.3 The group would also receive a three-year support
to the group maintenance fund for enabling the group to
meet costs of travel/food to attend BLCC meetings,
auditor’s fees for annual auditing of accounts,
attending other meetings, payment of honorarium to
animator, etc.
3.5 Group Savings
3.5.1 The group members must be encouraged to save as
much as each can without it being a uniform amount for
all. SHGs starting with fixed savings can be motivated
to switch to optional savings (subject to a minimum
saving). This is especially relevant as most SHG members
have seasonal employment and can make up for poorer
savings during lean season with higher savings during
employment season by adopting optional savings. Regular
weekly saving is the most important factor that determines
the speed of growth leading to quicker sustainability.
NGOs must continuously motivate SHGs to increase the
frequency of savings so that they adopt weekly savings
over a course of time. NGO staff must also motivate SHG
members to raise their savings amount, as and when
it appears that the members have improved their income
levels. However, the SHG would debate and decide on
what is best for them. There should be no
compulsion by the NGO leading to dropout of poorer
members.
3.6 Group Common Fund
3.6.1 The groups would receive funds in addition to
savings and maintenance fund amounts, such as fines
imposed by them on members, grants from the NGO, CDF,
bonuses for various programmes, service charges on
external loans, etc., which should be put in the group
common fund. The service charges to be charged on external
loans can be left to the discretion of the group.
Therefore, if an external loan is received by the group at
12%, the members would get it at minimum of 20% or such
higher rate of interest as decided by the group.
3.7 Group Reserve Fund
3.7.1 The Group Reserve Fund is an essential aid for
sustainability. This will be created from the inception of
the group by keeping aside 50% of interest earned on
sangha loans. The primary use of the group reserve fund
will be for meeting contingencies like genuine defaults on
external loans by the group members. In order to prevent
this from becoming a disincentive for repayment, 10% to
15% of the total nett interest accumulation (after
deducting the interest paid to banks/NGOs on external
loans) can be distributed as dividend to the
non-defaulting members from the third year onwards while
retaining the amount required for contingencies.
3.8 Rotation of Group Funds
3.8.1. All savings and common fund would be rotated
amongst the members at rates of interest to be decided by
the group. It usually varies between 2% and 3% p.m. To
whom the sangha loan should be given is also a group
decision. This sangha loan would enable the members to
meet their small consumption and productive needs without
having to go to the money-lender or bank or co-operative
society.
3.8.2. Internal loans should be prioritized and
differential rates of interest could be charged for
emergency loans, as distinct from loans for income
generating activities and family functions.
3.8.3. Internal loans should not be given to more than
10 members at any given point of time, except in
extraordinary situations. Request of a second loan before
clearing the first loan from the group should not be
admitted. However, the group can decide regarding both
these points based on the circumstances.
3.8.4. Internal or external loans must not be given by
the SHG for any non-member under any condition. This would
only lead to undesirable results like bad debts.
3.8.5 SHGs should be motivated to fully (100%)
rotate their savings from the first month of their
formation. It should be noted that group cohesion and
understanding develops only because the members learn to
prioritise demands vs. availability in the spirit of
mutual give and take. Any delay in internal rotation will
only delay development of the SHG, besides driving the SHG
members back into the arms of the local money lender.
3.8.6 It is also necessary that federations should NOT
enter into the area of lending to SHG members of to the
SHG, when SHG internal lending itself is yet to stabilise.
This will not only lead to poor growth of SHG funds, but
also lead to undesirable dependence on NGO/Federation,
leading to non-attainment of sustainability. SHGs should
be given an opportunity to meet its own needs by itself.
3.9 Animators &
Representatives:
3.9.1 The animators will be from the local village and
must necessarily be a resident of the village. The
animator should preferably be literate and must possess
certain leadership qualities. She must be in a position to
take on the role of a trainer for the group members in
certain aspects of their daily life and group functioning,
based on the training that would be given to her. In
short, she must be a role model and a change agent for the
groups and for the village as a whole. It is therefore
necessary that she should not be defaulter of bank loans
herself. She should also not be an office bearer of any
other organisation, so that there is greater loyalty and
commitment to the SHG. She should be the locus for free
and democratic functioning of the SHG.
3.9.2 Two Representatives are nominated by the SHG from
amongst members, rotated on a yearly basis, to ensure
carrying out certain tasks listed in the earlier chapter.
3.9.3 The animator’s position must be rotated amongst
the representatives once every two years. She will
facilitate a smooth switchover of responsibilities in the
above process. She will also assist the representatives to
learn the role of the animator to facilitate handover of
responsibilities as and when required.
3.9.4 Most of the groups are likely to be consisting of
illiterate women and the animators could take undue
advantage of their position and misuse group funds. Hence,
there is a need to redefine the role of the animator as
that of facilitator, to prevent her form dominating the
groups and dictating their functioning. Consequently,
the responsibilities handling cash and banking
transactions are to be vested with the representatives,
with every member going to bank by rotation. The
animator can write and maintain the books of accounts. In
case the animator is also illiterate, the responsibility
of book-keeping and accounts can be entrusted with any
other literate woman to be identified by the group, ie., a
literate daughter / daughter-in-law of one of the members
or any literate girl/women in the village or any literate
boy under 14 years of age related / not related to any
member, etc. Using a non-member for writing SHG accounts
should the last of all option. In any case men shall
not be used in any of these activities, as it would block
free development of women members. As far as possible,
the NGO should attempt training a literate member of the
SHG to handle accounts. Training inputs to animators and
representatives have also been suitably designed in order
to promote the representatives to take over the role of
animators and promote this concept of separation of the
role of animator and cashier. Payment to animator is at
the discretion of the group.
3.10 Opening of accounts,
operation and accessing institutional credit
- Self Help Groups (SHGs) should immediately
open bank accounts on formation in order to ensure
safe and transparent transactions. This account may be
opened in any bank of their choice depending upon
their convenience and proximity since the service
areas norms are not applicable to the SHG loans being
advanced by nationalised banks with NABARD re-finance
assistance. This is an important activity and will
help in safe handling of SHG funds, avoiding.
- It is recommended that every SHG member go by
rotation to the bank in order to learn banking
transactions and to ensure exposure and
development of all SHG members. This also
results in SHG transactions and accounts
becoming transparent to all members.
- It is also recommended that all receipts in
every meeting be credited into the bank account on
the same/next day and withdrawals made by cheque
on the same day, so that there is transparency in
accounts, greater confidence on the part of the
bankers and for ease of auditing.
- Sanction of credit from federations should
not impede or stop internal rotation of SHG funds
in any way. Only when SHGs do not have
sufficient internal funds or when the loan size is
large or the purpose is for a non-economic use
such as housing should federations step in with
credit, and that too only based on eligibility for
credit.
- SHG Credit Guidelines have been evolved
in consultation with bankers and they have been
approved by State Level Bankers Committee in July
1999. These guidelines would be very helpful for
bankers to rate and assess credit limits to SHGs.
NGOs are also expected to follow the same norms
for lending from RMK or other funds.
3.11 Books and registered to be
maintained by SHGs
3.11.1 The following books and registers have to be
maintained in every group:
-
- Attendance register
- Minutes book
- Savings ledger
- Loan ledger
- General ledger
- Cash book
- Individual pass book
- Receipt book
- Payment vouchers
3.11.2 The above books and register will have to be
maintained and updated on a regular basis for which the
primary responsibility will rest with the animator. The
first set of books and registers will be supplied by the
PIU. NGOs may ensure that the double entry book-keeping
system suggested is followed strictly. This, though
difficult in the early months, will pay rich dividends in
the later years, when the transactions in each SHG rise to
large levels. An accounts manual has been developed
in Tamil for use of field workers.
3.12 Training
3.12.1 Since this project is basically a human
resource development project, training is being given
top priority. Certain topics of training will be imparted
through the animators/representatives to the groups while
some other topics will be imparted directly to the groups.
3.12.2 Apart from the animator, two representatives
from each group will also be imparted specific training in
year one, along with the animator and thereafter 2
representatives would be trained by rotation for the next
3 years.
3.12.3 In addition to regular training, refresher
training will also be provided to the animators and
representatives.
3.12.14 Specific performance teams would be formed for
specific topics of group training where the audio-visual
media would be used and films shown songs sung, dances,
dramas and puppetry, etc. performed.
3.12.15 Training of NGO staff, PIU staff, block level
staff and bank staff has also been provided for.
3.12.16 Besides the above cluster level and block level
workshops and study tours have also been planned under the
project.
3.12.17 The training manual for use on the project
details the training programmes and modules. There would
be a Training of Trainers (TOT) programme conducted by
resource persons for the NGO's trainers with the help of
the manual.
3.13 Communication
3.13.1 As an aid to sustainability, there should be an
effective communication component. As an essential part of
it, there would be a periodical newsletter for sharing of
experiences. The newsletter would be at the state level.
The magazine MUTRAM has completed 17 months
of successful existence. NGO field staff may ensure that
the magazine is loudly read in all meetings and ideas
debated by the SHG for adoption. NGO staff should also use
Mutram to highlight the excellent work done by any SHG.
SHGs may be motivated to subscribe to the magazine.
3.13.2 In addition, other films of use would be
shown and documentation of use on the project and of the
project, done.
3.13.3. NGOs are requested to build up effective communication
teams for reaching out awareness messages to
illiterate SHG members. Awareness songs and street
plays should also be used during training or BLCC
sessions to convey messages. PIUs will convene half-yearly
communicators’ meets at the district level to
effect exchange of valuable communication material between
NGOs.
3.13.4. We also expect PIUs and NGOs to jointly
organise radio programmes with help of AIR highlighting
the inputs like training in the project, awareness songs,
talks with SHGs, Women’s day celebrations, Federation
meetings, reports on exhibitions/fairs participated by
SHGs and other progress made by SHGs.
3.14 Economic assistance
3.14.1 The groups can receive economic assistance, if
any, from the Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of
Women Ltd. They can also access economic assistance under
any scheme of Government, such as SGSY, SJSRY, TAHDCO,
TABCEDCO, etc,. after the group passes a resolution for a
certain member or members to be so assisted. The groups
can also receive SHG loans from the banks and RMK loans
from the NGO. They can also receive economic assistance
from any other source. However, the following points have
to be strictly followed.
- No economic assistance is to be given till the group
is cohesive enough to receive it. This would be
assessable after a minimum period of 6 months after
group formation. The minimum eligibility criteria
for credit linkage for an SHG is listed in Annexe-I. This
should be followed by NGOs while sanctioning credit
from RMK or alternate sources and while screening SHGs
for bank credit, in order that each SHG learns
principles of financial discipline and
credit-worthiness. It should be noted by all partners
that premature sanction of external credit without
fulfilling these conditions would lead to undesirable
conditioning and distorted growth of the SHG.
- The number of members to be covered with economic
assistance in any one year must be decided by the SHG
and preferably not all in one go. Only if it is a
group activity can all members be assisted in one go.
- All release of loan and repayments are to be done
through the group account to individual account
(latter wherever applicable).
- All subsidy should go as bonus to the group fund and
add to the SHGs corpus.
3.15 Subsidy administration
3.15.1 Any economic assistance scheme in the project
having a subsidy component has to be administered through
the group. No individual subsidies are to be given.
Subsidy is to be given to the group. It is for the group
to decide how much to give to members.
3.15.2 This subsidy is a good repayment bonus. Only
after 100% repayment of loan-cum-interest, the subsidy,
which is kept as a fixed deposit, would be given to the
group. Hence subsidy is not adjusted against the loan, and
full economic assistance is treated as loan.
3.16 Bonus for repayment
3.16.1 The project may have a good repayment bonus for
100% loan-cum-interest repayment. This bonus may be from
the Tamilnadu Women's Development Corporation in the form
of a capital grant being given to the group as stated
above, or it may be in any other form from the Tamilnadu
Women's Development Corporation, or it may be from the NGO
or from the bankers.
3.17 Local area banks/additional
credit delivery system
3.17.1 Group/Cluster/Block level local area banks are
to be developed as an additional credit delivery system,
which could be supported by the NGOs through their own
funding, or through the RMK, or through the SHG loan of
banks or any other schemes available. This would be in
addition to the existing commercial banks' credit
facilities that would be available for the groups.
3.18 Annual Auditing
3.18.1 Groups accounts be audited annually by engaging
a local qualified auditor at the village/cluster itself.
The groups should meet the audit cost. Groups should
follow up and rectify the deficiencies pointed out by the
auditor and ensure that lapses do not recur. NGO should
facilitate this process. NGOs should ensure that SHG
accounts are audited in April and May of every year
promptly by arrangement with standard auditors. The
auditors’ report should be in Tamil and should be read
out in the subsequent SHG meeting, minuted and pasted in
the minutes book. NGOs may consider making audit a
participatory process with presence of SHG members. A
manual on participatory audit is being evolved.
Declaration of dividend (distribution of a part of the
interest accumulated )can also be done at the time of the
annual audit.
3.19 Cluster level federations
3.19.1 Federation of women's groups will be promoted at
the cluster level. This process is to commence within 6
months - one year of group formation. As a forerunner,
participation in Block-level Coordination Committee (BLCC)
meeting is being insisted in the first two years. After
women begin to feel the importance of networking, NGO and
PIU can motivate them to evolve into local cluster-level
federations, which are again informal groups. The
monthly BLCC meetings are to be conducted by SHG women
representatives (at the rate of one or two representatives
from each SHG). Every SHG may think of selecting one
member other than the animator or representative to
represent the SHG in the BLCC meetings (the one-woman
one post idea!!), so as to develop leadership
qualities in others and to encourage broad-basing /
sharing of responsibility within each SHG.
3.19.2. The BLCC
meetings are to elect a couple of functionaries to convene
meetings - may be called Secretary/Jt. Secretary or
Convenor/Jt. Convenor or Representatives of the CLF. BLCC
meetings are to be conducted by the SHG women themselves
(preferably in the usual SHG fashion - without chairs)
with the NGO/PIU staff sitting outside the circle in the
side. They should only help and facilitate in preparation
of agenda, with the agenda, minutes and other petitions
etc., being written by the SHG women functionaries
themselves. The facilitation should extend to having group
discussions on relevant topics related to SHG management,
double-entry account keeping and social issues/problems
faced by SHGs. Experience sharing by SHG women on
achievements must also be promoted along with singing of
awareness songs and special talks by experts on awareness
topics. The agenda, topics and methodology should be
driven by the SHG women.
3.19.3 Cluster
level federations are to be formed with the following
guideline.
i. 15 - 25 groups
to a cluster
ii. 2
representatives from each group
iii. 2 years
tenure for representative
iv. Rotation in
alternate years, i.e., end Y1 and representative is
replaced by a new representative from the group; end
Y2 the representative who came in Y1 is replaced by a
new representative; end Y3 the representative who came
in end Y1 is replaced by a new representative; and so
on. This will ensure continuity in the cluster level
organisation, as well as personal development and
social change for the women.
v. Role
-
- Facilitate
formation of new groups by other poor women
- Organise
annual auditing for the groups through a qualified
auditor annual
- Organise
cluster level meetings, workshops
- Organising
cluster level events
- Assist and
maybe takeover responsibility for SHG grading in
the cluster.
- Provide
special support for weak groups after grading
- Financial role
not advisable in early period, unless the groups
want to have this role for the cluster level in
organisation.
vi. Meetings to
be periodically held - monthly once at venue, date and
time convenient to women (not NGO staff or PIU
or banker). The methodology at BLCC meetings is
relevant.
vii. Membership
fee from member groups for ensuring finances for
federating structure.
3.20
Federations at cluster, block & district level
3.20.1. These would
be left to emerge based on the need and progress on the
project. However such federations should not stand in the
way of SHGs development as viable and strong units of
economic and social activity. Taking over the role of a
financier to SHGs, when SHGs themselves can do so would be
undesirable. Federations should primarily work as a social
intermediary, towards strengthening the institutional
capacity, economic base and negotiating strength of SHGs,
and not usurp the functions and autonomy of SHGs. A
good NGO is expected to ensure that federations are
structured such as to aid attainment of sustainability of
SHGs (and not stand in the way). Capacity Building,
through training, for federations is also an important
process that needs to result in their ability to conduct
their own affairs.
3.20.2 As a matter of
principle, it is recommended that Cluster-level and
Block-level federations exercise the role of a social
intermediary over member-SHGs. They should provide a
forum for exchange of information and ideas, besides
helping in negotiating with buyers/suppliers and
establishing valuable linkages to SHGs with bankers,
Government agencies and local institutions like local
bodies. Detailed guidelines on federations are expected
to be evolved shortly and will be communicated soon.
3.21 Economic
federations/unions
-
-
- Other
useful federating structures, which need to
come up, would be those based on economic
activities. For eg. Milk Producers
Association/Society; Cane Growers Association;
Crossandra Growers Association, Palmyrah
Products Association, Charcoal Producers
Association, etc. These associations can take
care of the procurement of inputs and
marketing of outputs while also supporting the
throughput. For eg., the Milk Producer's
Association can arrange for fodder and feed,
ensure sale of milk and proper price for the
members, while also providing for veterinary
care services. NGOs and PIU can help poor
women to negotiate with private buyers as a
group, so the they get better prices, besides eliminating
middle-men.
- It is also
proposed to organise Womens Bazaars with
the help of district administration and NGOs,
to let our SHG members understand forces of
free market, avoid middle-men, and expose them
to vital issues like pricing, quality,
packaging, etc. SHGs producing agro-produce
can also be as asked to participate in the farmers
markets to be established by government in
urban areas.
- Also
NGO/PIU will help SHGs and federations in participating
in block-level, district-level and State-level
exhibitions and fairs in order to expand
sales of their produce, getting better price,
geeting information on better products,
buyers, marketing methods as well as to gather
experience. PIU and NGO will liase with other
agencies like DRDAs, CAPART, etc., to get
information and pass it on to SHGs.
- Another
useful market to tap is the Inter-SHG sales.
Reports have started flowing in from certain
districts as to how BLCC meetings are being
used by SHGsto sell some of their produce. It
is a wonderful beginning andcan throw open
another massive channel of sales.
-
- Convergence
of Services
- Our SHG experience
has proved that carefully nurtured and trained SHG's
are viable and sustainable local institutions capable
of handling substantial responsibility. SHG's have
played vital roles in eradicating illicit liquor in
several districts like Cuddalore and Theni; preventing
female infanticides in Madurai; preventing, mediating
and settling caste clashes as in Ramanathapuram and
Villupuram, planning and executing village development
works in several districts like Sivagangai, running
evening tuition classes for children in Thoothukudi,
actively participating in Parent Teacher Associations
in schools in Dharmapuri, .... The list is endless! We
foresee massive and intensive involvement and
participation of SHGs in various Government
programmes, leading to greater transparency, outreach
and impact of economic development programmes. The
District Collector, NGOs, PIU and line departments are
expected to play a key role in the convergence of
services and schemes on SHGs as well as use the
organisational capabilities of SHGs to improve local
governance. The PIU and NGO will take the key role
of facilitating formation of such linkages and
strenthening them. The following departments are
expected to play key roles:
-
- Adi Dravida
Welfare/ TAHDCO - by dovetailing TAHDCO
microfinance schemes with SHGs
- Animal
Husbandry - in skill training and using SHGs as
extension units
- Agriculture -
by skill training and using SHGs as extension
units and helping them to participate in Farmers
markets to market their produce
- Arivoli
Iyakkam - by involving SHGs in Continuing
Education by representation of animators in
Village Literacy Commitees and using Arivoli funds
for imparting awareness training to SHG members on
legal literacy, health, etc.
- BC&MW
dept./TABCEDCO - by dovetailing microfinance
shemes with SHGs
- Horticulture -
for skill training and using SHGs as extension
units
- State Resource
Center - by actively aiding DeW and NGOs in
publication of communication material like
manuals, audio cassettes, street theater scripts
and books on womens' issues.
- School
Education - by activating Parent Teacher
Associations (PTA's) in each school through active
involvement of SHG members who are parents.
- Rural
development - by active involvement of SHG women
in Namakku Naame, dovetailing SGSY with Mahalir
Thittam and encouraging active participation of
SHG members in Graama Sabhas
- TNINP/ICDS -
Mahalir Thittam PIU and NGOs will help form SHGs
for poor mothers groups attached to TNINP Balwadis
and Aanganwadis as well as link TNINP/ICDS staff
with all SHGs for training and IEC activities
envisaged under the new World Bank aided ICDS - V
project.
3.23 Gender
Policy, Gender Awareness and Sensitisation
-
-
- In a
project for women it is essential that all
stakeholders subscribe to a gender policy. The
following are elements of a policy to be
adopted by all:
-
- Preference for
women in staffing positions in PIUs and NGOs
- Training for
all Project Staff and NGO staff on gender issues,
leading to sensitisation
- Ensure human
rights of women, both staff and beneficiaries, in
NGOs and PIUs, and prevent discrimination against
them or their harassment as enshrined in the laws
of the land and in International covenants. A
summary of the Platform for Action (PFA) or
the Beijing Declaration and the
Convention for Elimination of All forms
Discrimination against Women (CeDAW) is placed
in Annexe-II.
- All
stakeholders, especially NGOs, are expected to
advocate these ideals.
3.24 General
-
-
- The bank
accounts should be in the name of the SHGs and
should be operated jointly by the animators
and two representatives.
- The older
groups should be encouraged to assist in the
formation of new groups in the
village/adjoining villages.
- The groups
should consciously plan for a minimum of four
social/community action programmes during
every year. Mere writing of petitions is not
enough. Concrete actions and results must be
there.
- The group
members should attend all the training
programmes without fail. Participation in
cluster level workshops and programmes also
needs emphasis.
- The group
should also show enthusiasm for taking up
activities like kitchen/backyard gardening,
low cost nutrition, soak pits, low cost
sanitation, hand pump maintenance, etc. They
should also take up issues concerning
environment.
- The groups
should learn to work in harmony with the
village panchayat and other elected
representatives for sustainable development
and long term benefits.
- The group
members should act as role models for the
other women in the village and undertake
activities to stop social evils. The use of
strategies like street plays, folk theater,
etc. will be very effective in spreading such
massagers.
- Functional
literacy standards, of all the members, should
be essentially achieved.
- All
decisions should be taken in a democratic
manner after sufficient discussion in the
groups. Domination by animators or
representatives or outsiders should be guarded
against.
|
