Education and Empowerment of Women: Issues and Impact

INTRODUCTION

―If you educate a man you educate an individual, however, if you educate a woman you educate a whole family. Women empowered means mother India empowered‖

Empowerment of women in 21st century play vital role in the development of the country. Women represent almost half of the population in the world and access to education has been one of the most pressing demands of the women‘s right movements. Women Empowerment is a worldwide concern and discussion on women political right are at the fore front of many formal and informal campaigns globally. The idea of women empowerment was introduced in 1985, international women conference at NAROIBI .Women‘s education has too been a key concern of both the government and community as educated women can also play a crucial role in socio-economic aspect. The first year of New Millennium 2001 was declared as "WOMEN EMPOWERMENT YEAR". Education of a women leads to a better family and ultimately an ideal society to a progressive nation. A developing nation is one where all the people of the country irrespective of their caste, religion, sex, colour and creed are socially, economically, politically and culturally are independent.Education facilitate a women to develop into strong intellectual by giving her knowledge . Agarwaal and Salve (2013),Each and every field like teaching, Nursing care, Social work, medicine, Women proved to be better than men. It is a dominant means for reducing inequality as it can give the capability to become independent. Women, who come transversely discrimination in any field, have particular needs of this. Education is considered as an important milepost of women empowerment because it permits them to face the confronts, to deal with their traditional role and change their life. Education of women is the vital instrument of change of their position in the society.Still huge womenfolk of our nation are illiterate, weak, backward, and exploited. Empowerment and competence building afford women an avenue to acquire practical information and knowledge for their improved livelihoods. India can be converted into a developed nation only if women contribute to the best of her capacity and ability which is possible when she is educated and empowered.

India is a democratic and a developing country but its fact that still there is deep ignorance in the gender inequality exists in many dimensions of life, not only in India but many countries of the world. There still exist a wide gap in between male and female. In Indian mythology women is treated as divine, holy and pure, the position of women in ―Vedas‖ and ―Upanishads‖ was put on a high pedestal but now, in actual we know the position and status of women in our progressive society because still we are talking about ―Women empowerment‖, India has a strong written constitution proclaiming laws for equality and welfare of women, barbaric and cruel practices still continue to haunt women in the form of female feticide, infanticide, girl child labour, Dowry related death, molestation, sexual harassment, rape, eve-teasing, gender inequality, domestic violence etc. are very common in Indian counterpart. Still a large section of women specially the rural women face increasingly violent from of gender bias. Perhaps the highest form of violence against the women is to deny life on gender basis; data shows that there is still a very high preference for a male child in states like Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh etc. We must remember that girls are indispensable part of our society and an asset to our family and nation. We need to constructively work against the outdated traditions, prejudices, practices, superstitions and customs which lower the status of the women. Economic, social and political empowerment can be achieved to a great extent through education.

Although in the Vedic period women had access to education in India, they had gradually lost this right. However, in the British period there was revival of interest in women's education in India. In this period, a range of socio- religious movements led by renowned persons like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Iswar Chander Vidyasagar, Mahatma Gandhi, Jyotiba Phule, Periyar and Baba Saheb Ambedkar emphasized on women's education and took various initiatives to make education available to all the women of India. However women's education got a fillip after the country got independence in 1947 and the government has taken various measures to provide education to all Indian women. As a result women's literacy rate has grown over the three decades and the growth of female literacy has in fact been higher than that of male literacy rate. While in 1971 only 22% of Indian women were literate, by the end of 2001 54.16% female were literate. The growth of female literacy rate is 14.87% as compared to 11.72 % of that of male literacy rate.

In our Indian constitution, Directive principle of state policy (DPSP) provides free and compulsory education for all children up to the age of 14 years. among girls. Literacy and educational levels are increasing for Indian women still there is space between male and female literacy rate which can be seen in the following Table.

1901 5.3 9.8 0.7 1911 5.9 10.6 1.1 1921 7.2 12.2 1.8 1931 9.5 15.6 2.9 1941 16.1 24.9 7.3 1951 16.7 24.9 7.3 1961 24.0 34.4 13.0 1971 29.5 39.5 18.7 1981 36.2 46.9 24.8 1991 52.1 63.9 39.2 2001 65.38 76.0 54.0 2011 74.04 82.14 65.46

According to the Table-1 the literacy rate for women before independence had a very pitiable burst in comparison to literacy rate of men. This is eyewitnesses from the fact that literacy rate of women has risen from 0.7 % to 7.3 % whereas the literacy rate of men has risen from 9.8 % to 24.9 % during these four decades. After the independence the literacy rates have shown a substantial increase in general. However the literacy rate of male has almost tripled over the period e.g. 25% in 1951 and 76 % in 2001.Surprisingly the female literacy rate has increased at a faster rate than the male literacy during the decade 1981 -2001. The growth rate is almost six times i.e. 7.9 % in 1951 and 54 % in 2001. From this analysis one can infer that still the female literacy rate is wadding behind male literacy rate .The rate of school drop outs of female child is also found to be relatively higher in comparison with male child. This higher rate of illiteracy of women is certainly attributing for women reliance on men and to play a subordinate role. The lack of education is the main cause for women‘s exploitation and carelessness. Only women education and their literacy can help it to understand the Indian constitutional and legislative provisions that are made for strengthen them. Thus, promoting education among women is the important for empowering and to accomplish their goals in par with men in diverse sphere of life.

SOURCE: CENSUS OF INDIA 2011

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY

1. Andhra Pradesh 59.7% 2 Arunachal Pradesh 59.6% 3 Assam 67.3% 4 Bihar 53.3% 5 Chhattisgarh 60.6% 6 Goa 81.8% 7 Gujarat 70.7% 8 Haryana 66.8% 9 Himachal Pradesh 76.6% 10 Jharkhand 56.2% 11 Karnataka 68.1% 12 Kerala 92.0% 13 Madhya Pradesh 60.0% 14 Maharashtra 75.5% 15 Manipur 73.2% 16 Meghalaya 73.8% 17 Mizoram 89.4% 18 Nagaland 76.7% 19 Odisha 64.4% 20 Punjab 71.3%

1 Andaman & Nicobar Islands 81.8%

According to the table -2 , the state wise literacy rate of female had an average of 65.46% in all India basis according to 2011 census. The high literacy rate is 92.0% in Kerala and low literacy rate is 52.7% in Rajasthan in 2011 census while in contrast to literacy rate of female is 11% increase in 2011 census as increased from 54.16% to 65.46%. Women‘s are growing well in the very last 10 years. Government of India has been taken a variety of steps and policies especially for women in every section of society.

EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN

1. Education Liberate: Education liberalizes the thinking, mind, thoughts, imagination, power, principle in various fields for easy to survive and achieve knowledge through education. Education makes the women‘s self-sufficient in every aspect, she is not depends on her father, husband nor son neither brother. 2. Education stay away from obstacle: Education gives equal rights to women in socially, politically, culturally, gender, religiously manner. She will fetch equal status with men and that is the basis for the development of both national and international integration. 3. Education gives decision making power: As education opens ways to take decision according to their choice whether it is relates to life style, life partner, job, career etc. Education trains to learn what is right and what is wrong and it also push to stay independently on their own feet. 4. Education stow away: Education will garnishing women to defense against crime, social devil, sexual harassment, women are qualified and helpful for family to earn money that means she able to develop the economy status of family and also for nation. Women can facilitate through their work, get free from problems prevailing in India like high maternal mortality rate, high rates of gender violence and other crime against women i.e. child abuse, female feticide, implement family planning and other schemes etc. 6. Education strengthens the women lives: Education enhances the quality of women and makes some strategies to grow upward, to gear the entire education system to play positive interventionist role in the empowerment of women. To enlarge the women‘s access to vocational, technical and professional education at all levels and breaking the gender stereotypes of the society. 7. Analysis of UNESCO about education role in empowerment: UNESCO data proves education transforms development. It says that if all children enjoyed equal access to education, per capita income would increase by 23% over 40 years. And if all women had a primary education, child marriages and child mortality could fall by a sixth and maternal deaths by two-thirds. UNESCO proves that education empowers women, promotes tolerance, improves job opportunities and increases economic growth avoids early marriages and also saves mother‘s lives

There are some major problems that were faced by women from history and still today up to some extent. • Gender discrimination • Lack of education • Household responsibility • Child marriage • Child labour • Partial attitude of parents • Domestic violence • Endogamy marriage • Family responsibility

The importance of women as a central human being resource was recognized by the Constitution of India which has not only accorded equality to women but also empowered the State. There are a number of Articles in the Indian Constitution that safeguards the socio-economic development of women and their participation in decision making process of society. 1. Art. 14- Grants equal rights and opportunities to men and women in the socio, economic and political spheres. 2. Art. 15(1) - It prohibits discrimination against any people on the basis of their sex, caste, religion, race and place of birth. 3. Art. 16- Equality opportunities in matter of public employments to all citizens. 4. Art. 39(d) - Grants equal pay for equal work for both men and women. 5. Art.42- The state has to make provision for ensuring of humane conditions of work and maternity relief. Government of India has also enacted some specific laws to protect the interests of women and for up gradation of women status. These are: • The Hindu Succession Act, 1956- It provides equal right to women in parental property. • The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961-This act declares the taking and giving of dowry an unlawful activity. • Equal Remuneration Act, 1976- It provides equal remunerations compare with men to women for work of equal value. • The Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act 1971-This act legalizes the abortion granting the right of women to go for abortion on the basis of physical and mental health. • The Criminal Law Amendment Act 1983- It seeks to stop a various number of crimes against women. • The Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act 1986- It prohibits the

• The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005- This act provides more effective protection of women guaranteed in the Constitution who are victims of violence of any kind occurring within the family and society. • The goal of National Policy for the Empowerment of Women, 2001 is to bring about the advancement, development and empowerment of women. The policy states that: ―Equal access to education for women and girls will be ensured. Special safeguards will be taken to eliminate discrimination, eradicate illiteracy and create gender sensitive educational system, increase enrolment and retention rates of girls and improve the quality of education to facilitate life-long learning as well as development of vocational or technical skills of women. Sinking gender gap in secondary and higher education would be a focus area. • Specific moment goal in existing policies will be achieved, with unique focus on girls and women, particularly those belonging to weaker sections including the SC/ST/OBC and Minorities."

• Consciousness of education is essential whether girls from rural or urban area. • Change the system towards women based sex discrimination. • Removal of gender inequality. • Encourage the women actively participate in social and political issues. • Spread the message that education of women is to build the strong women to create an incredible country. • Awareness needs to know the women are effectively good contributor of the socio-economic development of the nation. • Education plays a vital role to enhance the quality of women‘s and increase their quantity of knowledge that use in various fields where she survives. • To encourage all the girls and women‘s belongs to rural areas and to provide training to polish their creativity. • Education trains the girl child to live independent and free from their domination. • Arrange different kinds of training, workshop and courses for grooming of girls and women for enhancing self-esteem and self-confidence. • Increase the confidence for developing ability to think critically. It is guaranteed that women respect is chief concern in all spheres of life. Whether she is in her family or in their workplace. • All woman should have the independent to live her life according to their choice and give chance to select their area of interest like education, employment and health etc. • There is need to transform the attitude of the peoples who still neglects the female child or women. • The word empowerment is only used in books and papers as a flowery language but somewhere in the society it is still not used practically and truly. It is possible whenever thinking and attitude of our society change towards about the women.

The present scenario, it may be said that woman in the modern hi- tech society which is moving very fast under the shadow of population explosion, conflicts, chaos and corruption can mold the personality of the adolescent and youth in a proper direction and perspective, provided the woman are themselves in power. There is a positive relationship between education and woman empowerment. In another essential aspect is that, in these societies the issue of women empowerment has been facing certain serious challenges, which are the outcome of certain evil norms and attitude such as child labour, child marriage, illiteracy, superstition, partial attitude of the parents, female feticides etc. and in such a situation women empowerment is an urgent necessity. In order to promote women's empowerment, it is necessary to create an environment that will allow women to participate in educational programs and share the benefits. The educational and other strategies for women empowerment should be implemented in reality for empowering women in the world. The problems that are present in our society like poverty, unemployment and inequality cannot be eradicated by man alone but equal and active participation of women is mandatory. Without the education she

1. Aggrawal, S.and Salve, S. (2013). Women Empowerment: Need of Women Education, Indian Journal of Education Research Experimentation and innovation (IJEREI).ISSN-2231-0495 Vol-3,Issue 4. 2. Alva, A and Hans V.B. (2013). Higher Education in India-Opportunities Changes and Challenges, .Available at http://ssrn.com 3. Channawar, Sonali. Role of Education in Women Empowerment, International journal of recent trends in engineering and research 4. Government of India, Census of India 2011 5. N.L. Gupta (2003).Women‘s Education Through Ages, Concept Publications Co, New Delhi 6. Sharma, P. (2016). Role of Education in Women Empowerment, Available at http//www Indian youth net/role-of-education-in-women-empowerment.

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_ India 2. http://wcd.nic.in/empowomen.html

Research Scholar, Department of Sociology jyotimohan62@gmail.com