Role of Mother Group to Women’s Empowerment: (A Case Study of Mahila Bikash Bahu Uddesya Aama Samuha Pokhara Metropolitancity, Lamachaur-19, Kaski)

Abstract

Mother groups are the main changing agent in the development as well as women empowerment and working actively in the rural areas of Nepal. Thus, this research work entitled “Role of Mother Group to Women’s Empowerment: A Case Study of Mahila Bikash Bahuuddhesya Aama Samuha, Pokhara Metropolitancity, Lamachaur-19, Kaski" was carried out to find out the process of mother group formation, mobilization factors and the relation of mother group in the women empowerment during the fiscal year 2074/75. For this, a study was undertaken in exploratory, descriptive and analytical away.Both primary and secondary data were utilized for this study along with an interview, , and case studies. Mahila Bikash Bahuuddhesya Aama Samuha is one of the leading mother groups in the community development and women empowerment in Kaski district and the location was convenient to study role of mother group for the women empowerment and social development. This is matured mother group is working for nearly 28 years has big experience in the field of social problems, community development, and women empowerment. This mother group was established in 2057 BS by the active participation of 15 women with the objective of to take action against those who trouble due to excessive drinking and gambling to establish good society by eradicating women violence and to protect the right of women and to spread out awareness of their right, then to conduct the different kind of training to empower the women and self dependent. It has executed by eleven members of executive committee to run the mother group. This mother group was found an ideal group and actively involved in the community development as well as women empowerment since the period of 2060 BS. This mother group is composed of 84 mother members with different caste and ethnicity. Nearly 36.9 percent of the members were at the range of 41-50 year age, 52.28 percent from Chhettri and 41.67 percent members were in secondary education. The group was composed of 89.29 percent Hindus. The major occupation of this group was agriculture (65.48%) followed by business (17.85%), Government services (11.90%), foreign employment (0%), and tailoring (4.76%). The fund of the group was collected from the different regular sources like membership, deusi-bhailo, marriage and other ritual functions, utensil rent, interest, and other sources. The major source of income of this mother group was marriage ceremony which accounts 62.65% followed by interest on bank deposit (13.49%), Deusi-bhailo (11.34%), membership (5.9%), Teej program (3.07%), utensil rent (3.5%), and other sources (1.04%).The collected fund was invested in many development and social welfare activities. This mother group was focused to mitigate the social problems like domestic violence, social crime, social welfare, construction and recreational activities in the community. For the empowerment of women, they run literacy program, health and sanitation program, awareness raising program, and income generating program. Meeting, training, workshop made them more active and independent. By the various activities, they are capable in decision making, and involved in social, political, and development activities in the community. From these all conducted activities by mother group, members gained the respect and dignity from their own family and other persons in the community as well.