Mahalir Thittam – A Superior Source for Women Empowerment – A Study in Madurai District

Abstract

The growing social awareness across the globe has brought a number of issues to the fore among which gender equality and empowerment of women are very significant. The World Bank suggested that empowerment of women should be a key aspect of social development programs. The empowerment is not essentially political alone in fact; political empowerment will not succeed in the absence of economic empowerment. In India, the role that women can play in every dimension of developmental activity has been recognized. The various plan strategies have also emphasized women’s participation in the social and economical activities both within the family as well as society. This is to enable them to inculcate a sense of confidence and bring about awareness about their own potential for development, rights and privileges. Experience has shown that promotion of enterprise creation and income generating activities among women would transform them from ‘being alive’ to living with dignity’. One of the powerful approaches to women empowerment and rural entrepreneurship is Mahalir Thittam. This paper is divided into three sections. In the first section, the researcher converse the profile and objectives of Mahalir Thittam. In section II- Importance of women empowerment through Mahalir Thittam. In section III – Achievements in Madurai District with the presentation of strategy of women empowerment by linking benefits extended by the Mahalir Thittam to the members.