Solving for the unconscious bias around self-reliance

“Make self-reliance your occupation. Exert yourself to gather the wealth of knowledge," these are the wise words of Savitribai Phule, educationist and reformer, who encouraged and advocated quality education for girls to make them self-reliant.

Individuals especially those from underprivileged backgrounds in India, have faced a long history of discrimination and marginalisation. Despite the progress made in recent decades, they are still largely excluded from economic opportunities. In addition to that, women from underprivileged community face various forms of gender-based hurdles that can be overcome with a few concerted efforts. The World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2022 report ranks India 135th overall and 143rd out of 146 countries in women’s economic participation and opportunity respectively. In order to close in on this gap, and create a more equitable society, it is essential to focus on empowering everyone through initiatives that are focused on self-reliance, individual growth, and community building.

It is no secret that underprivileged individuals face several disadvantages in our society. With the right tools and support, they can overcome the obstacles they face and thrive.

A few ways in which we can build an empowered society can be

Supporting anganwadis at the grassroot level 

Anganwadis are a vital part of the Indian government's efforts to improve the lives of underprivileged women. These day-care centres provide women with a safe space to socialise and learn new skills. They also offer health services and support to pregnant women and young mothers. They play a crucial role in empowering women from disadvantaged backgrounds. Through these centres, women can gain access to knowledge and life skills training. This helps them to become more independent and self-reliant. This can lead to economic empowerment and improved social status within their communities. Anganwadis also focus on the requirements of children under the age of six. It aims to give young children a comprehensive array of opportunities, including supplemental nourishment, medical attention, and pre-school education. Adolescent girls, pregnant women, and nursing mothers receive support through the initiative too.

 Ultimately, anganwadis help to create a more equitable society by giving underprivileged women and children, the opportunity to reach their full potential. It also empowers working women by providing them with a safe space to take care of their children when they are busy earning. In turn this leads to the prevention of early child marriages and increases knowledge around nutrition, health, hygiene, and safety for young adults and women.

Many anganwadis today need support in revival and rehabilitation efforts through public private partnerships and organisations participating providing infrastructural and learning tools support. This kind of crucial support can change the context for the communities around the anganwadis and set them on a path to flourish by giving the families a sense of security and women in the society the right support to participate in economic activities that can improve their standard of living and care.

Urban skilling programmes 

There is no denying that many people from low socio-economic backgrounds have been at the forefront of India’s development journey. They have been key contributors to the country’s growth story and are now an essential part of the workforce. However, there is still a large section who are left behind, particularly women from those underprivileged backgrounds. One way of ensuring that everyone can lead a life of dignity and respect, is by providing them with skill training. According to the FSG Growing Livelihood Opportunities for Women report, 64% of women strongly believe that to be self-reliant, it is important to work and nearly two in three aspiring-to-work women prefer jobs over entrepreneurship.

Many urban skilling programs offer such training by equipping individuals with employable skills, and enabling them to find better jobs and earn a decent livelihood. These programs also play an important role in empowering and instilling confidence among the children and women. Through such training, they not only acquire new skills but also get to interact with people from different walks of life. This helps broaden their perspective and gives them a sense of pride and accomplishment. Thus, urban skilling programs can be instrumental in transforming the lives of underprivileged individuals and helping them become self-reliant individuals.

The need for building a secure platform

In addition to providing practical support, we also need to create an environment where underprivileged communities feel valued and respected. This means working to challenge negative stereotypes about them and promoting their rights within our society. There should be a variety of outlets available for them to use if anyone ever feels threatened. Individuals will feel protected and operate more confidently knowing they have these resources at their disposal. Spurring self-employment among women is not just about financial independence and empowerment. It has other far-reaching benefits, which can accrue a better outlook for the future generations.

In addition to societal stigmas, lack of financial access prevents people from weak economic backgrounds from achieving their goals and reduces their chances of being self-reliant. SHGs, which are becoming significant microfinance systems, serve as forums for women to unite around concerns of health, nutrition, gender parity, and gender justice.

By increasing their abilities and providing them with the opportunity to participate in various entrepreneurial activities, SHGs have already significantly contributed to the development of entrepreneurial aptitudes among rural women. SHGs foster an atmosphere where female entrepreneurs may grow their business and decision-making abilities while also providing them with micro-loans to support their enterprises.

Self-reliance is not only important for underprivileged community, but for everyone. However, it is especially crucial for those who have been traditionally oppressed and disadvantaged. Building self-reliance helps individuals to feel empowered and in control of their own lives. It gives them the confidence to take on new challenges and make decisions for themselves.

This ultimately leads to improved life outcomes and a better standard of living. In addition, self-reliance also has a positive spill over effect for the wider community. When more people are self-reliant, they are better able to contribute to the development of their families and communities. This helps to create a more equitable society overall.

(Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of YourStory.)