Forms of Empowerment of Women & the Future Needs

Women empowerment means provide freedom and equality to women from the many grips of social, economic, political, caste and gender-based discrimination. It means providing women the freedom to make life choices by own ways. Women empowerment does not mean 'deifying women' rather it means replacing patriarchy with equality. A woman is full of imagination and thoughts; she should be able to express them freely. Individual empowerment means to have the self-confidence to articulate and assert the power to negotiate and decide. In the simplest words women empowerment means creating such an environment in which they can take independent decisions for their personal development. Empowerment is the process by which the women achieve increased control and participation in decision making which in turn helps to achieve equality equal to men in various aspects – political, economic, social, cultural and civil. The principle of gender equality is provided in the Indian Constitution in its Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Fundamental Duties and Directive Principles. The Constitution not only grants equality to women but also empowers the state to reduce all types of discrimination practice in favour of women. We have various laws, policies, plans and programs objective to women‘s advancement in different spheres. However, there exists a wide gap between the goals articulate in these various forms of development measures and related mechanisms on the one hand and the situational reality of the status of women in India, on the other. This has been analyzed extensively in the Report of the Committee on the Status of Women in India, ―Towards Equality‖, 1974 and highlighted in the National Perspective Plan for Women, 1988-2000, the Shramshakti Report, 1988 and the ―Platform for Action, Five Years After – An Assessment‖.

• To know the need of Women Empowerment. • To assess the Awareness of Women Empowerment in India. • To study the Government Schemes For Women Empowerment. • To identify the challenges in the way of Women Empowerment. • To provide useful suggestions for Future Needs.

In the past women has been worshiped as Laxmi Maa, goddess of wealth, Sarswati Maa, the evidence is found in ‗Vedas & Puranas‘ of Indian culture. The status of women in India particularly in rural areas needs to start movement on the issue of empowering women. About 66% of the female population in rural area is unaware about women empowerment. This is due to existing social customs and usases. In agriculture and Animal care

the world‘s income and own less than 1/ 100th the world property. Among the world 900 million illiterate people, 70% of people living in poverty are women. Lower sex ratio i.e. 933, this is show that the women are relatively less healthy than men. They constitute less than 1/7th of the administrators and mangers in developing countries. Only 10% seats in World Parliament and 6% in National Cabinet are held by women. This is the very less data, women need to more empower or need of get support from society specially men and government.

FORMS OF WOMEN EMPOWERMENT:

It makes a better quality of material life through sustainable livelihoods owned and managed by women. It means reducing their financial dependence on their male by providing them a right job and employment. • Many of women have become entrepreneurs in trades such as – dairy, incense, Indian snacks, carpet weaving, tailoring, packaging and handicrafts through skill development and greater financial literacy programs. • Most of women have opened savings bank accounts, many of takes insurance plans.

It provides the provision of an effective legal structure which is support to the women empowerment. It means addressing the gaps between what the law prescribes and what actually occurs. There are some legal provisions those create a ground of women empowerment. • Equality before law for all persons (Article-14). • Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth (Article 15(I)). • The special provisions may be made by the state in favors of women and children Article 15(3). • Equality of opportunity for all citizens relating to employment or appointment to any office under the state (Article 16). • State policy to be directed to securing for men and women equally the right to an adequate means of livelihood (Article 39(a); (v) equal pay for equal work for both men and women (Article 39(d). • Provisions to be made by the state for securing just and humane conditions of work and maternity relief (Article 42). • Promotion of harmony by every citizen of India and renouncement of such practices which are derogatory to the dignity of women Article 51A(e). • Reservation of not less than one-third of total seats for women in direct election to local bodies such as Panchayats and Municipalities (Articles 343(d) and 343 (T).

The political women empowerment means the existence of a political system favoring the participation in and control by the women of the political decision-making process and in governance. • The women participation has increased in election of local self -government or panchayati raj institutions‘ elections year to year. • The most of women are aware of their voting rights and political processes. • Women Vigilance Committees in project villages helped communities monitor the local elections. • The percentage of women is increasing in voter registration in some project areas enabled by mass-scale pre-election voter awareness generation campaigns.

Shocking Facts: According to 2013, UNDP report on Human Development Indicators, all south Asian Countries except Afghanistan, were ranked better for women than India It predicts: an Indian girl child aged 1-5 years is 75% more likely to die than the boy child. A woman is raped once in every 20 min and 10% of all crimes are reported. Women form 48% of India‘s Population, only 29% of the National Workforce; only 26% women have access to formal credit.

There are some challenges that are facing empower to women rights in India. These are affecting the women empowerment in India. These are as given below-

Health and safety of women concerned high priority in the well-being of a country and is an important factor in doing the empowerment of women in a country. However there are attentive concerns where maternal healthcare is concerned.

The government of India has implemented many programs for the empowerment of women. Many of these programs are for providing employment, education, skills, health accessible to the all. These programs have been especially started keeping in mind the needs, conditions and situations of Indian women, to ensure their participation. Some of these programs are – MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme), Sarva Siksha Abhiyaan, Janani Suraksha Yojana (reduce maternal mortality) etc. The Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India has implemented various new schemes specifically objective to empowerment of Indian women. Some of those important schemes are given below-

The scheme focuses on eradicating female infanticide and also on the education of girl child. It aims for changing the mindset of people towards a girl, by providing financial support and also by strict enforcement of laws and acts.

This scheme aims for providing 24 hours emergency support help line for women who are subjected to any kind of violence or crime. The scheme provides a universal emergency number -181 across the country for women in distress. The number also provides information on women related schemes in the country.

by trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation and their rehabilitation and welfare.

• To prevent trafficking of women and children for commercial sexual exploitation through social mobilization and involvement of local communities, awareness generation programmes, generate public discourse through workshops/seminars and such events and any other innovative activity. • To facilitate rescue of victims from the place of their exploitation and place them in safe custody. • To provide rehabilitation services both immediate and long-term to the victims by providing basic amenities/needs such as shelter, food, clothing, medical treatment including counselling, legal aid and guidance and vocational training. • To facilitate reintegration of the victims into the family and society at large. • To facilitate repatriation of cross-border victims to their country of origin.

The scheme focuses on empowering rural women through community participation. Community volunteers like students, professional etc will teach the rural women about their rights and welfare schemes.

In 2009 the Union Cabinet of the Government of India instituted 50% reservation for the women in Panchayati Raj Institutions. It is aimed mainly at improving the social status of women in rural India. The states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, and Andhra Pradesh among various others have majority of women as elected head of gram panchayats. • Working Women Hostel • Ministry approves new projects under Ujjawala Scheme and continues existing projects • SWADHAR Greh (A Scheme for Women in Difficult Circumstances)

• NARI SHAKTI PURASKAR

• Awardees of Stree Shakti Puruskar, 2014 & Awardees of Nari Shakti Puruskar • Awardees of Rajya Mahila Samman & Zila Mahila Samman • Mahila police Volunteers • Mahila E-Haat • Mahila Shakti Kendras (MSK)

• NIRBHAYA

EMPOWERMENT:

―If you educate a man you educate an individual, but if you educate a woman you educate a whole family‖ said by Mahatma Gandhi. Social change is possible through education so women‘s education has to be needed to pay special attention. The education for all under age of 14 years must to all children in India. A necessary care must be take on reduction rate of girls and corrective measures nacessary to be taken for that. Women should be permitted to work and must provide sufficient security and right support to work. Legislations such as Equal Remuneration Act, Factories Act, Constitutional safeguards such as maternity break and other provisions should be strictly implemented. Women should to be given right wages and work at equal to men so that their status can be raised in the society. Political strengthening of women is essential for their freedom and liberty. India should provide the 50% quota in politics to strengthening women empowerment. Strict measures ought to be taken for the execution of Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques Act (1994), Dowry Prohibition Acts and different enactments relating to their liberation. More steps should be taken to develop the good status of women. Maternal mortality must be decreased particularly in the areas which do not have proper health facilities; the government should pay proper attention in this field and must be given proper attention to meet the dietary needs of women at all periods of their life cycle. The social activists and media reporters should keep a watch on the and help them to fight the legal battle for getting justice. Schemes should be start aim to help women who are victims of domestic and marital violence.

• The government should set priority should to provide the best education to women, which is the grassroots level problem, so government should pay special attention for women education. • Awareness programs should be organized for creating awareness among women especially belonging to weaker sections, those are related to their rights. • Women should be allowed to work and should be provide enough safety during working hours and support to work. The women should give the proper wages and work at equal to men so by this women status can be up-lift in the society. • Strict implementation of Provisions, Acts and initiatives should be reducing the mal-practices practice in the society.

―When women move forward the family moves, the village moves and the nation moves‖ It is essential as their thought and their value systems lead the development of a good family, good society and ultimately a good nation. The best way of empowerment is perhaps through inducting women in the mainstream of development. Women empowerment will be real and effective only when they should get opportunity to gain income and property so that they may stand on their feet and build up their identity and respect in the society. The Empowerment of Women has become one of the most important concerns in recent days (21 century) not only at Indian level but also at the global level. Government initiatives alone would not sufficient to achieve this goal society should take steps to achieve this goal, especially men. Society must take steps to create a environment where there is no gender discrimination and provide full support to women in own decision making and participating in social activities, political and economic.

http://www.wcd.nic.in/schemes-listing/2405. A.H. Sharada (1997). Women, fertility and empowerment: Some issues in the contemporary debate, Samya Shakti: Centre for Women Development studies, New Delhi, 6, pp. 28-43. century.. Article by Dr. Dashrath Bhuyan. Women empowerment in India: A changing Scenario, Dr D. Kumuda, Volume 3, Issue 8, Aug 2014, ISSN No 2277 – 8179. Women empowerment in modern India, Dr. Shruti Singh, Introductory Edition (2013). Kadam, R. N. (2012). Empowerment of Women in India- An Attempt to Fill the Gender Gap. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 2(6), pp. 11-13. G.T. Govindappa (1999). Rural women entrepreneurship- Constraints and strategies, Kurukshetra, 48(2), pp. 11-14. K.S. Jyothi (1998). Employment pattern and empowerment of rural women – A study in Kolar district, M. Sc. (Agri.) Thesis, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore. Duflo E. (2011). Women‘s Empowerment and Economic Development, National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge. Goswami L. (2013). Education for Women Empowerment. ABHIBYAKTI: Annual Journal. 2013; 1: pp. 17-18. Kishor S, Gupta K. (2009). Gender Equality and Women‘s Empowerment in India, National Family Health Survey (Nfhs-3) India, 2005-06, International Institute for Population Sciences, Deonar, Mumbai. 2009. Sivaramayya B. (1983). Status of Women and Social Change, Journal of Indian Law Institute, 25, p. 270. http://www.mospi.gov.in/sites/default/files/reports_and_publication/statistical_publication/social_statistics/WM16Chapter6.pdf. https://palakmathur.wordpress.com/2009/09/01/women-empowerment-challenges-and-issues.

CBSE UGC-NET, Department of Political Science, Maharishi Dayanand University Rohtak dehrajsk@gmail.com