DR. SABEENA NABI
Women’s empowerment has become a significant topic of discussion in development and economics
Once again the slogan of Narendra Modi ji came out to be a success, as one of the daughters of India Mrs. Droupadi Murmu proved herself worth for Presidential position; the country’s 15th President and becoming the first tribal and the 2nd female president after to have made it to the country’s highest office. Modi acknowledged the way Murmu overcame hardships in her personal life and continued serving society. Droupadi Murmu Ji’s life, her early struggles, her rich service, and her exemplary success motivate each and every Indian citizen in general and women folk in particular. She has emerged as a ray of hope for our citizens, especially the poor, marginalised and the downtrodden.
Women’s empowerment equips and allows women to make life-determining decisions through different problems in society. They may have the opportunity to redefine gender roles or other such roles, which in turn may allow them more freedom to pursue desired goals. Women’s empowerment has become a significant topic of discussion in development and economics. Economic empowerment allows women to control and benefit from resources, assets, and income. It also aids the ability to manage risk and improve women’s well-being. It can result in approaches to support trivialised genders in a particular political or social context. While often interchangeably used, the more comprehensive concept of gender empowerment concerns people of any gender, stressing the distinction between biological and gender as a role. Women empowerment helps in boosting the status of women through literacy, education, training and awareness creation. Furthermore, women’s empowerment refers to women’s ability to make strategic life choices which had been previously denied them.
Nations, businesses, communities and groups may benefit from the implementation of programs and policies that adopt the notion of female empowerment. Empowerment of women enhances the quality and the quantity of human resources available for development. Empowerment is one of the main procedural concerns when addressing human rights and development.
Women are typically associated with child care and domestic responsibilities at home, they have less time dedicated to entering the labour market and running their business. Policies that increase their bargaining power in the household would include policies that account for cases of divorce, policies for better welfare for women, and policies that give women control over resources (such as property rights). However, participation is not limited to the realm of politics. It can include participation in the household, in schools, and the ability to make choices for oneself. Some theorists believe that bargaining power and agency in the household must be achieved before one can move onto broader political participation. Women with digital skills are better able to make their voices heard on local issues and influence the outcome of decisions that affect themselves and their communities. Digital skills can also empower women to participate in political movements. To create women empowerment, feminists commonly use consciousness raising. When raising consciousness, women not only become knowledgeable about their personal struggles but how it is related to political and economical issues. Raising consciousness allows marginalised individuals to see where they are placed in the larger social structure and pinpoint the root of their oppression. Awareness of their problems will initiate self-mobilisation which precisely creates empowerment.
Dr. Sabeena Nabi, Faculty of Forestry, SKUAST-K
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts, analysis, assumptions and perspective appearing in the article do not reflect the views of GK.