Empowering Women through Self-Help Groups: Analysing Academic Research Output and Trends on Women Empowerment in Multiple Nations (2006-2025)

Title

Empowering Women through Self-Help Groups: Analysing Academic Research Output and Trends on Women Empowerment in Multiple Nations (2006-2025)

Author

1. Saubhagya Singh, Other, Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith, India
2. Shivam Shukla, Assistant Professor, Siddharth University, Kapilvastu, Siddharth Nagar, India

Abstract

This study analyzes 143 research documents from 116 sources between 2006 and 2025, revealing steady academic contributions despite a 0% annual growth rate. The documents, averaging 5.46 years in age with 6.217 citations per paper, indicate moderate scholarly influence. Authorship is collaborative, involving 330 researchers, averaging 2.66 co-authors per document. However, international collaboration remains limited at 9.79%, highlighting the predominance of domestic research networks. The dataset is dominated by journal articles (110), followed by book chapters (16), reviews (7), and conference papers (7). Scientific output has shown fluctuations, peaking in 2024 with 20 publications before dropping to 2 in 2025, reflecting the impact of external variables like funding, institutional backing, and shifting priorities. Geographically, India leads with 308 publications, significantly ahead of the USA (23) and Malaysia (5). This dominance is linked to expanding government support, institutional growth, and focus on socio-economic themes such as women’s empowerment, rural development, and status enhancement. In conclusion, while the data reflects strong regional academic productivity, it also emphasizes the need for more international partnerships, stable funding, and policy support to sustain and globalize future research efforts.

Keywords

Conclusion

The dataset underscores a stable yet uneven research trajectory, with significant contributions from Indian institutions. The findings highlight the need for enhanced international collaboration to diversify perspectives and increase global research impact. While research production peaked in 2024, the sharp decline in 2025 raises concerns about sustainability and resource allocation. The emphasis on empowerment, rural development, and women’s status suggests that research in this domain is addressing critical societal issues. Moving forward, strategic interventions, such as increased funding, stronger international networks, and institutional support, will be essential to maintaining and expanding the momentum of academic research.

Author Contrubution

This manuscript was mutually authored by the authors.

Funding

The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship and/or publication of this research paper.

Conflict of Interest

The authors have no potential conflicts of interest to declare with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.

Data Sharing Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available with the authors. 

Software And Tools Use

Acknowledgements

We extend our deepest gratitude to our advisor, Professor Sudhir Kumar Shukla, whose mentorship in bibliometric research methodology shaped every page of this work.