Rapid Need Assessment on Gender Integration in BRLP-JEEVIKA

Understanding gender in Bihar's livelihood programme.

Project Introduction

This rapid needs assessment was designed to explore how gender considerations are integrated within the Bihar Rural Livelihoods Project (BRLP), widely known as JEEVIKA. It focuses on Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Village Organizations, and Cluster-Level Federations across selected districts of Bihar where JEEVIKA is active, examining how this flagship rural livelihoods programme addresses — and could better address — gender inclusion within its institutional design and processes.

Partners

Researchers

Project Methodology

Using a mixed-methods approach, the team combined focus group discussions, structured interviews, and a desk review of programme documents to generate a holistic view of gender dynamics within JEEVIKA, drawing on respondents including women SHG members, community cadres, project staff, and local leaders. The inquiry focused on four key areas: women’s participation in SHGs and federations; their access to and control over credit, assets, and livelihoods; their mobility and decision-making power at household and community levels; and the extent of gender integration in institutional processes and capacity-building efforts.

Impact

The assessment revealed both progress and continuing challenges in gender integration within JEEVIKA. Self-help groups have played a transformative role in improving women’s financial inclusion, mobility, and visibility in community spaces, though structural barriers persist around asset ownership, intra-household decision-making, and leadership opportunities beyond SHGs. These findings have contributed to JEEVIKA’s roadmap for deepening women’s empowerment and were shared with programme managers and state-level policymakers to inform future programme design.

Documentation

This project is currently in progress, and will be updated with findings as results arise.

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