Critical Role Played by
Women Self Help Groups during COVID

As COVID-19 continues to affect lives and livelihoods around the world, it exacerbates gender inequalities. Women’s jobs are 1.8 times more vulnerable to this crisis than men’s jobs and account for 54% of overall job losses. In both mature and emerging economies, female jobs are at 19% higher risk than men’s simply because they are a majority in sectors most affected by COVID-19¹.

In India, during the pandemic, female entrepreneurs suddenly found themselves lacking financial capital and access to markets for their business. Women are spending an additional 30% time on family responsibilities accompanied by shortages of food and rising water needs, both of which are women’s share of responsibility. Domestic violence statistics are at an all-time high with the National Commission of Women reporting that 1259 complaints were received in just two months².

Even amidst the devastating impacts of COVID-19 for women, success stories of female leaders and entrepreneurs at national, regional and community levels are emerging. In India, women self-help groups have risen to the extraordinary challenge of the pandemic - meeting shortfalls in masks, sanitizers, protective equipment; running community kitchens; providing banking and financial solutions to far-flung communities and fighting misinformation to promote awareness in over 90% of India’s districts. In doing so, they have generated employment and income, secured livelihoods and contributed to societal needs.

More than 19 million masks have been produced by some 20,000 SHGs across 27 states, in addition to 200,000 litres of sanitizers. With disruptions in supply chains and huge number of informal workers losing their livelihoods, SHGs have set up over 10,000 community kitchens across the country to feed stranded workers. Since access to finance is critical for people to sustain themselves during the lockdown, SHG women who also work as banking correspondents have emerged as a vital resource³.

In Odisha, poor rural women who were earlier engaged in stitching school uniforms have produced more than 1 million cotton masks. In Kerala, the Kudumbashree network is running 1300 kitchens across the state, while also delivering food to those bedridden and in quarantine. In Bihar, Jeevika, the state’s SHG platform is spreading information about self-isolation, hygiene measures and state guidelines. In Jharkhand, SHG groups run a 24x7 helpline counselling and providing information for returning migrants and vulnerable families. Bank Sakhis of various SHGs across different states are providing doorstep banking services, distributing pensions and enabling access to credit schemes. SHG members facing trouble in selling produce are being supported through Producer Groups and Enterprises set up by the SHG network in states such as Bengal, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh etc., providing them a market to sell their produce and innovations through app-based delivery of fresh produce such as the Aajeevika Farm Fresh mobile app in Jharkhand.

The response of women to the crisis demonstrates that what is good for gender equality is also good for the economy and society as a whole. Interventions are required to address unpaid child care and distribution of domestic responsibilities, enable greater female labour force participation, close the inclusion gender gap in digital and financial literacy to change entrenched and widespread attitudinal biases. Parity is powerful. ■

Endnotes:
1 Covid-19 and Gender Equality, McKinsey & Company, July 15, 2020
2 How COVID-19 is amplifying gender equality in India, The Indian Express, October 19, 2020
3 World Bank, 11 April 2020, https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2020/04/11/women-self-help-groups-combat-covid19-coronavirus-pandemic-india  

Manya Sharan
msharan@devalt.org