Absract
Women’s empowerment constitutes a central concern of contemporary development discourse, particularly in contexts marked by structural poverty and gender inequality. Kudumbashree, launched in Kerala in 1998, represents a unique state-led poverty eradication mission that transcends the conventional Self Help Group (SHG) model of women’s empowerment. Integrating microfinance, micro-enterprise development, and participatory governance, the programme is closely linked with local self-government institutions and grassroots democratic processes. This article examines the origin, institutional structure, and operational mechanisms of Kudumbashree and evaluates its role in enhancing women’s economic security, social participation, and decision-making capacity. The study analyses the performance of Kudumbashree units at the local level to assess their contribution to social capital formation, gender mainstreaming, and inclusive growth. The findings indicate that Kudumbashree has played a significant role in strengthening women’s access to resources and opportunities, fostering entrepreneurial capabilities, and enabling women to influence socio-economic change, thereby contributing to sustainable and women-led community development in Kerala.
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