The Role of Feminised Grassroots Governance in COVID-19 Mitigation: A Study of Odisha’s SHG–PRI Institutional Convergence

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the urgent necessity of decentralised, community-based, and inclusive governance structures capable of responding to unprecedented humanitarian and public health emergencies. In India, Odisha emerged as one of the most significant examples of grassroots pandemic governance through the convergence of women-led Self-Help Groups (SHGs) under Mission Shakti and Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). This article critically analyses the role of feminised grassroots governance in COVID-19 mitigation by examining the institutional convergence between SHGs and PRIs in Odisha. The study highlights how women’s collectives contributed significantly to mask production, community kitchens, migrant management, social awareness campaigns, doorstep delivery systems, financial inclusion, and rural welfare administration during the pandemic. The paper argues that Odisha’s experience demonstrates the transformative potential of gender-responsive local governance in strengthening democratic resilience, social trust, and crisis management. The study also discusses the challenges of unpaid care labour, gendered governance burdens, and institutional sustainability. The article concludes that Odisha’s SHG–PRI convergence provides an innovative governance model for future public health emergencies and decentralised development planning.