WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

Introduction:
Of the 1.3 billion people who live in absolute poverty around the globe, 70 percent are
women. For these women, poverty doesnt just mean scarcity and want. It means rights
denied, opportunities curtailed and
voices silenced. Consider the following:
Women work two-thirds of the worlds working hours
Women earn only 10 percent of the worlds income.
Women own less than 1 percent of the worlds property.
Women make up two-thirds of the estimated 876 million adults worldwide who cannot read
or write;

Empowerment refers to increasing the spiritual, political, social or economic strength of
individuals and communities. It often involves the empowered developing confidence in their
own capacities.
Empowerment is probably the totality of the following or similar capabilities:
* Having decision-making power of their own
* Having access to information and resources for taking proper decision
* Having a range of options from which you can make choices (not just yes/no, either/or.)
* Ability to exercise assertiveness in collective decision making
* Having positive thinking on the ability to make change
* Ability to learn skills for improving one's personal or group power.
* Ability to change others perceptions by democratic means.
* Involving in the growth process and changes that is never ending and self-initiated
* Increasing one's positive self-image and overcoming stigma
The status of women in India has been subject to many great changes over the past few
millennia. From equal status with men in ancient times

through the low points of the
medieval period, to the promotion of equal rights by many reformers, the history of women
in India has been eventful. In modern India, women have adorned high offices in India
including that of the President, Prime minister, Speaker of the Lok Sabha and Leader of the
Opposition. As of 2011, the President of India, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Leader
of the Opposition in Lok Sabha (Lower House of the parliament) are all women. However,
women in India generally are still exposed to numerous social issues. According to a global
study conducted by Thomson Reuters, India is the "fourth most dangerous country" in the
world for women
Ancient India
Scholars believe that in ancient India, the women enjoyed equal status with men in all fields
of life. However, some others hold contrasting views. Works by ancient Indian grammarians
such as Patanjali and Katyayana suggest that women were educated in the early Vedic period
Rigvedic verses suggest that the women married at a mature age and were probably free to
select their husband. Scriptures such as Rig Veda and Upanishads mention several women
sages and seers, notably Gargi and Maitreyi.
According to studies, women enjoyed equal status and rights during the early Vedic period.
However, later (approximately 500 B.C.), the status of women began to decline with the
Smritis (esp. Manusmriti) and with the Islamic invasion of Babur and the Mughal empire and
later Christianity curtailing women's freedom and rights.
Although reformatory movements such as Jainism allowed women to be admitted to the
religious order, by and large, the women in India faced confinement and restrictions. The
practice of child marriages is believed to have started from around sixth century.
Medieval period
The Indian woman's position in the society further deteriorated during the medieval period
when Sati among some communities, child marriages and a ban on widow remarriages
became part of social life among some communities in India. The Muslim conquest in the
Indian subcontinent brought the purdah practice in the Indian society. Among the Rajputs of
Rajasthan, the Jauhar was practised. In some parts of India, the Devadasis or the temple
women were sexually exploited. Polygamy was widely practised especially among Hindu
Kshatriya rulers.In many Muslim families, women were restricted to Zenana areas.
In spite of these conditions, some women excelled in the fields of politics, literature,
education and religion. Razia Sultana became the only woman monarch to have ever ruled
Delhi. The Gond queen Durgavati ruled for fifteen years, before she lost her life in a battle
with Mughal emperor Akbar's general Asaf Khan in 1564. Chand Bibi defended Ahmednagar
against the mighty Mughal forces of Akbar in 1590s. Jehangir's wife Nur Jehan effectively
wielded imperial power and was recognized as the real force behind the Mughal throne. The
Mughal princesses Jahanara and Zebunnissa were well-known poets, and also influenced the
ruling administration Shivaji's mother, Jijabai was deputed as queen regent, because of her
ability as a warrior and an administrator. In South India, many women administered villages,
towns, divisions and heralded social and religious institutions.
The Bhakti movements tried to restore women's status and questioned some of the forms of
oppression. Mirabai, a female saint-poet, was one of the most important Bhakti movement
figures. Some other female saint-poets from this period include Akka Mahadevi, Rami
Janabai and Lal Ded. Bhakti sects within Hinduism such as the Mahanubhav, Varkari and
many others were principle movements within the Hindu fold to openly advocate social
justice and equality between men and women.
Shortly after the Bhakti movement, Guru Nanak, the first Guru of Sikhs also preached the
message of equality between men and women. He advocated that women be allowed to lead
religious assemblies; to perform and lead congregational hymn singing called Kirtan or
Bhajan; become members of religious management committees; to lead armies on the
battlefield; have equality in marriage, and equality in Amrit (Baptism). Other Sikh Gurus also
preached against the discrimination against women.
Historical practices
Traditions among some communities such as sati, jauhar, and devadasi have been banned and
are largely defunct in modern India. However, some cases of these practices are still found in
remote parts of India. The purdah is still practised by Indian women among some
communities, and child marriage remains prevalent despite it being an illegal practice,
especially under current Indian laws.
Sati
Sati is an old, largely defunct custom, among some communities in which the widow
was immolated alive on her husband's funeral pyre. Although the act was supposed to
be a voluntary on the widow's part, it is believed to have been sometimes forced on
the widow. It was abolished by the British in 1829. There have been around forty
reported cases of sati since independence. In 1987, the Roop Kanwar case of
Rajasthan led to The Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act.
Jauhar
Jauhar refers to the practice of the voluntary immolation of all the wives and
daughters of defeated warriors, in order to avoid capture and consequent molestation
by the enemy. The practice was followed by the wives of defeated Rajput rulers, who
are known to place a high premium on honour.
Purdah
Purdah is the practice among some communities of requiring women to cover their
bodies so as to cover their skin and conceal their form. It imposes restrictions on the
mobility of women, it curtails their right to interact freely and it is a symbol of the
subordination of women. It does not reflect the religious teachings of either Hinduism
or Islam, contrary to common belief, although misconception has occurred due to the
ignorance and prejudices of religious leaders of both faiths.
Devadasis
Devadasi is a religious practice in some parts of southern India, in which women are
"married" to a deity or temple. The ritual was well established by the 10th century
A.D. In the later period, the illegitimate sexual exploitation of the devadasi's became a
norm in some parts of India.
British rule
European scholars observed in the 19th century that Hindu women are "naturally chaste" and
"more virtuous" than other women. During the British Raj, many reformers such as Ram
Mohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Jyotirao Phule etc. fought for the upliftment of
women. Peary Charan Sarkar, a former student of Hindu College, Calcutta and a member of
"Young Bengal" set up the first free school for girls in India in 1847 in Barasat, a suburb of
Calcutta (later the school was named Kalikrishna Girls' High School).
While this list might suggest that there was no positive British contribution during the Raj
era, that is not entirely so, since missionaries' wives like Martha Mault ne Mead and her
daughter Eliza Caldwell ne Mault are rightly remembered for pioneering the education and
training of girls in south India - a practise that initially met with local resistance, as it flew in
the face of tradition. Raja Rammohan Roy's efforts led to the abolition of the Sati practice
under Governor-General William Cavendish-Bentinck in 1829. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar's
crusade for the improvement in condition of widows led to the Widow Remarriage Act of
1856. Many women reformers such as Pandita Ramabai also helped the cause of women
upliftment.
Kittur Chennamma, the queen of the princely state Kittur in Karnataka

led an armed rebellion
against the British in response to the Doctrine of lapse. Abbakka Rani the queen of coastal
Karnataka led the defence against invading European armies notably the Portuguese in 16th
century. Rani Lakshmi Bai, the Queen of Jhansi, led the Indian Rebellion of 1857 against the
British. She is now widely considered as a nationalist hero. Begum Hazrat Mahal, the co-
ruler of Awadh, was another ruler who led the revolt of 1857. She refused the deals with the
British and later retreated to Nepal. The Begums of Bhopal were also few of the notable
female rulers during this period. They did not observe purdah and were trained in martial arts.
Chandramukhi Basu, Kadambini Ganguly and Anandi Gopal Joshi were few of the earliest
Indian women to obtain educational degrees.
In 1917, the first women's delegation met the Secretary of State to demand women's political
rights, supported by the Indian National Congress. The All India Women's Education
Conference was held in Pune in 1927. In 1929, the Child Marriage Restraint Act was passed,
stipulating fourteen as the minimum age of marriage for a girl through the efforts of
Mahomed Ali Jinnah. Though Mahatma Gandhi himself married at the age of thirteen, he
later urged people to boycott child marriages and called upon the young men to marry the
child widows.
Women played an important part in India's independence struggle. Some of the famous
freedom fighters include Bhikaji Cama, Dr. Annie Besant, Pritilata Waddedar, Vijayalakshmi
Pandit, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, Aruna Asaf Ali, Sucheta Kriplani and Kasturba Gandhi. Other
notable names include Muthulakshmi Reddy, Durgabai Deshmukh etc. The Rani of Jhansi
Regiment of Subhash Chandra Bose's Indian National Army consisted entirely of women
including Captain Lakshmi Sahgal. Sarojini Naidu, a poet and a freedom fighter, was the first
Indian woman to become the President of the Indian National Congress and the first woman
to become the governor of a state in India.
Independent India
Women in India now participate in all activities such as education,sports, politics, media, art
and culture, service sectors, science and technology, etc. Indira Gandhi, who served as Prime
Minister of India for an aggregate period of fifteen years is the world's longest serving
woman Prime Minister.
The Constitution of India guarantees to all Indian women equality (Article 14), no
discrimination by the State (Article 15(1)), equality of opportunity (Article 16), equal pay for
equal work (Article 39(d)). In addition, it allows special provisions to be made by the State in
favour of women and children (Article 15(3)), renounces practices derogatory to the dignity
of women (Article 51(A) (e)), and also allows for provisions to be made by the State for
securing just and humane conditions of work and for maternity relief. (Article 42).
The feminist activism in India picked up momentum during later 1970s. One of the first
national level issues that brought the women's groups together was the Mathura rape case.
The acquittal of policemen accused of raping a young girl Mathura in a police station, led to a
wide-scale protests in 19791980. The protests were widely covered in the national media,
and forced the Government to amend the Evidence Act, the Criminal Procedure Code and the
Indian Penal Code and introduce the category of custodial rape. Female activists united over
issues such as female infanticide, gender bias, women health, and female literacy.
Since alcoholism is often associated with violence against women in India, many women
groups launched anti-liquor campaigns in Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana,
Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and other states. Many Indian Muslim women have questioned the
fundamental leaders' interpretation of women's rights under the Shariat law and have
criticized the triple talaq system.
In 1990s, grants from foreign donor agencies enabled the formation of new women-oriented
NGOs. Self-help groups and NGOs such as Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA)
have played a major role in women's rights in India. Many women have emerged as leaders
of local movements. For example, Medha Patkar of the Narmada Bachao Andolan.
The Government of India declared 2001 as the Year of Women's Empowerment (Swashakti).
The National Policy For The Empowerment Of Women came was passed in 2001.
In 2006, the case of a Muslim rape victim called Imrana was highlighted in the media. Imrana
was raped by her father-in-law. The pronouncement of some Muslim clerics that Imrana
should marry her father-in-law led to widespread protests and finally Imrana's father-in-law
was given a prison term of 10 years, The verdict was welcomed by many women's groups
and the All India Muslim Personal Law Board.
In 2010 March 9, one day after International Women's day, Rajyasabha passed Women's
Reservation Bill, ensuring 33% reservation to women in Parliament and state legislative
bodies.
Indicators of Empowerment
The evidence for empowerment is often anecdotal in nature, but this is still valid, especially
when set alongside quantitative data. We have listed below some possible indicators that we
consider useful:
Confidence & Understanding: examples of people taking on new responsibilities
e.g. chairing meetings, organising events and initiating new activities; or keeping
clear records and good accounts, or the level of contact with local officials concerning
issues that are of concern/interest to the local community;
Skills in Analysis & Communication: development and refinement of group aims
and objectives; meeting with officials and talks to local schools; letter writing, and
contributions to local group newsletters; preparation of group strategies and action
plans;
Trust, Caring & Tolerance: evidence of the delegation of responsibility within the
group; initiatives by groups to involve/contact disadvantaged or vulnerable people in
the community; initiatives that encourage open debate and represent minority
interests; providing additional facilities for members of the community e.g. organising
regular breast cancer screening or visits by specialists in healthcare, youth work,
planning, law or community development;
Communication & Co-operation: attendance at meetings; local group newsletters;
telephone trees established for alerting members to important events/developments;
evidence of links developing between villages/communities; new joint ventures; and
Access to Information: acquisition of material on group development, running small
businesses, legislation etc., perhaps held in the local library or resource centre;
development of a database of contacts; and use made of the Internet.
Despite facing so many challenges, women have made an impression in various fields. Some
of these fields and the prominent women in them are:
1. Education and Technology
Savitribai Phule was a social reformer who along with her husband; Mahatma Jotiba
Phule played an important role in improving women's rights in India during the British Rule.
Savitribai was the first female teacher of the first women's school in India and also
considered as the pioneer of modern Marathi poetry. In 1852 she opened a school for
Untouchable girls.

2. Social services
Mother Teresa was a Roman Catholic nun of Albanian ethnicity and Indian citizenship, who
founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India, in 1950. For over 45 years, she
ministered to the poor, sick, orphaned, and dying, while guiding the Missionaries of Charitys
expansion, first throughout India and then in other countries. Following her death, she was
beatified by Pope John Paul II and given the title blessed Teresa of Calcutta. In the 1970s, she
became well-known internationally for her humanitarian work and advocacy for the rights of
the poor and helpless.
Annie Besant was of Irish origin and made India her second home. She fought for the rights
of Indian and was the first woman president of Indian National Congress. In 1893, she left for
India having been influenced by the Indian culture and civilization. She was famous as a
social worker, educationalist, journalist, prominent Theosophist, social reformer, political
leader, womens rights activist, writer and orator. She fought for the Human Rights of Indian
women.
Nita Ambani
It is easy to get overshadowed when you are the wife of one of the richest men in the world,
but through her own unique achievements Nita Ambani has made her own special place and
improved the lives of so many around her. Keenly and proactively involved in charity work
as well as education. She has been part of the Dhirubhai Ambani International School from
the time it started in 2003 and is also involved with the Dhirubhai Ambani Foundation. For
these outstanding contributions, Nita Ambani was conferred the GR8! Scroll of Honour
Award in 2008.

Shabana Azmi
Just like in her films, Shabana has played different roles in her life. For example, she runs a
girls' school in her father Kaifi Azmi's hometown. She is active in various social arenas. She
participated in a long movement for the betterment of slum dwellers in Mumbai and also
fasted for them. She is a modern woman who respects all religions.
Sarojini naidu, also known by the sobriquet The Nightingale of India (Bharatiya Kokila),
was a child prodigy, Indian independence activist and poet.Naidu was one of the former of
Indian Constitution. Naidu was the second Indian woman to become the President of
the Indian National Congress and the first woman to become the Governor of Uttar
Pradesh state.Her birthday is celebrated as Women's Day in India.
3. Politics
Indira Gandhi- the iron lady
India had been ruled by England for over a century prior to its independence in 1947. While
the British hadbuilt many roads, schools, and hospitals, they had also acted as a superior
colonial power. The Indians greatly resented British control. The organized struggle for
freedom began early in this century and grew until after World War II, which ended in 1945,
when the British finally realized they could no longer hold India. The ascension of a woman,
Indira Gandhi, to the highest position in the world's most populous democracy was especially
significant for Indian women, who had traditionally been subservient to men. She is
distinguished for both, the work she did while in office, and as a figure of female strength and
agency in the political field. Indira Ghandi was elected to the position of Prime Minister of
the Republic of India on four separate occasions. She served three consecutive terms from
1966 to 1977.
Mrs Pratibha Patil became the first Indian woman President in 2007. She has shown to one
and all that a woman is not lesser than a man in any regard.
Meira Kumar was elected unopposed as the first woman Speaker of Lok Sabha. She is a
lawyer and a former diplomat. Prior to being a member of the 15th Lok Sabha, she has been
elected earlier to the 8th, 11th, 12th and 14th Lok Sabha, wherein she remained Cabinet
Minister in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (20042009).
Mamata Banerjee is the 11th and current Chief Minister of West Bengal. She is the first
woman to hold the office. Banerjee founded the party All India Trinamool Congress (AITMC
or TMC) in 1997 and became its chairperson, after separating from theIndian National
Congress.
Sheila Dikshit is yet another active lady politician who has served as Chief Minister of
Delhi since 1998. She is a member of the Indian National Congress and has led the party to a
record three consecutive electoral victories in Delhi. She became Chairperson of the Young
Women's Association and was instrumental in setting up two of the most successful hostels
for working women in Delhi during the 1970s. She later worked as executive secretary of the
Garment Exporters Association.

4. Entrepreneurship
Indra Nooyi
No list of successful women entrepreneurs in India is complete without the mention of Indira
Nooyi, the CFO and president of PepsiCo.Her ability to make quick decision and tenacity to
follow up has enabled her to make PepsiCo one of the biggest brands in the market
today.Indira Nooyi is listed as the fourth most powerful women in the world by Forbes
Magazine.In addition to serving as PepsiCos CEO, Nooyi was instrumental in the
establishment of Yum! Brands, which now operates Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut, Long John
Silvers, and A&W Restaurants. Yum! Brands is currently listed as a Fortune 500 company
and is the worlds largest fast food corporation.
Dr. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw Also known as the Biotech Queen of India, Dr. Kiran
Mazumdar Shaw is listed in the Forbes magazine as 50 most powerful women in
International Business.Starting with a capital of just Rs.10,000 with her garage as her office,
she created her first product in the year 1978. Her company Biocon has since then touched
new height in the field of biotechnology.An active social activist she is a true role model for
aspiring entrepreneurs in India.
Shahnaz Hussain is a part of this list of one of the top women entrepreneurs in India because
she started form nothing and has made her company, Shahnaz Hussain Herbals a $100
million enterprise. She broke the traditional advertising myths and the popularity of her
company is solely due to mouth-to-mouth publicity only. Shahnaz was awarded the Padma
Shri by the Govt. of India in 2006.

5. Sports
P.T. Usha, born on June 27, 1964, hailing from Kerala has been associated with Indian
athletics since 1979. She is regarded as one of the greatest athletes India has ever produced
and is often called the "queen of Indian track and field". She is nicknamed Payyoli Express.
Currently she runs the Usha School of Athletics at Koyilandy in Kerala She has been honored
with Arjuna Award and Padmashree.
Reaching the top of the world Bachendri Pal was the first Indian woman to reach the
summit of Mt. Everest, in 1984. Pal is based out of Uttarkashi. Pal led an all-woman team to
Everest, and in 1994, led an all-woman rafting team down the Ganga, from Hardwar to
Calcutta. She has also served as mountaineering instructor for women.
Saina Nehwal is an Indian Khel Ratna winning badminton player currently ranked number
fourth in the world by Badminton Federation. Saina is the first Indian woman to reach the
singles quarterfinals at the Olympics and the first Indian to win the World Junior Badminton
Championships.
Saina Nehwal made history on June 21, 2009, becoming the first Indian to win a Super Series
tournament, by clinching the Indonesia Open.

MC Mary Kom or Mary Kom is a female boxer from Manipur and is five times World
Boxing Champion. She came back from a two-year sabbatical to clinch her fourth successive
World Amateur boxing gold in 2008, a feat that prompted the AIBA to describe her as
'Magnificent Mary'. She is the only women boxer to have been awarded with the Arjuna
Award and the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna. Mary Kom is also the only boxer to have won a
medal in each one of the six World Championships.
6. Arts & entertainment
Asha bhosle is best known as a playback singer in Hindi cinema, although she has a wider
repertoire. Bhosle'scareer started in 1943 and has spanned over six decades. She has done
playback singing for over a thousand Bollywood movies. In addition, she has recorded
several private albums and participated in numerous solo concerts in India and abroad.
In 1997, Asha became the first Indian singer to be nominated for the Grammy Award,
for Legacy, an album with Ustad Ali Akbar Khan.
She has received seventeen Maharashtra State Awards.
She received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2000 for her outstanding contribution
to Indian cinema.
She holds honorary doctorates from the University of Amravati and University
of Jalgaon in Literature.
She has received The Freddie Mercury Award for Outstanding Achievement in Arts.
The Birmingham Film Festival paid her a special tribute in November 2002.
She was honoured with the Padma Vibhushan by the Government of India.
She was among top 20 music icons of the past 50 years.
In 2011 the Guinness Book of World Records officially acknowledged Bhosle, at The
Asian Awards, as the most recorded artist in the history of music. She was awarded a
certificate for "the most studio recordings (singles) from Sebastian Coe for recording up
to 11,000 solo, duet and chorus-backed songs and in over 20 Indian languages since
1947". At the event she was also awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Arundhati Roy (born 24 November 1961) is an Indian author and political activist who was
best known for the award-winning novel The God of Small Things (1997) and for her
involvement in environmental and human rights causes. Roys novel became the biggest-
selling book by a nonexpatriate Indian author and won the 1998 Man Booker Prize for
Fiction.
7. Fashion
Sushmita Sen (born 19 November, 1975) is an Indian actress and model. She was
crowned Miss Universe 1994. She made history by becoming the first woman of Indian
origin to win the crown, beating a bevy of beauties from around the world. Often known as
the most stylish and glamorous lady of India, Sushmita Sen made history by adopting a baby
girl named Rene in 2000. She, as a single woman of only 25 years of age, was not viewed as
socially acceptable to obtain the guardianship of the baby. However, the High Court of India
quashed the appeal and she obtained gain of cause. On 13 Jan, 2010 she adopted a three-
month-old girl and named her Alisah.
Priyanka Chopra is an Indian actress, singer-songwriter and former Miss World. Before
starting her acting career, she worked as a model and gained fame after winning the Miss
World title in 2000. Currently a very successful actress, Priyanka supports various charities
including NDTV's Greenathon, an initiative to make people go eco-friendly and look into
lack of electricity in multiple rural villages. She also drew attention to issues such
as, education, female infanticide and feticide. Chopra in addition to being excellent in her
field, is also a very active Indian citizen, striving for the betterment of the country.
8. Food
Tarla Dalal A well-known Indian food writer, who has published more than 100 books and
sold over 3 million copies, Tarla Dalal's first cook book'The Pleasures of Vegetarian
Cooking', was published in 1974. She also runs the largest Indian food web site, and a bi-
monthly magazine, which has been translated into many languages. She has also been
conducting cooking classes.
Anjum Anand Anjum is considered as one of the first food writers to give a twist to Indian
recipes that not only tickled taste buds but also catered to the taste of a diet conscious person.
Her recipes consisted of mixed traditional dishes, recreated with healthy ingredients and
limited oil. She has worked in the kitchens of restaurants based in New York, for Park Royal
Hotel in New Delhi, and Tommy Tang at Mondrian Hotel in Los Angeles. Her first book
'Indian Every Day: Light Healthy Indian Food' was published when she was 25. Anjum also
became a usual guest on UKTV from 2004 to 2007, and was featured in BBC for a two series
of Indian Food in 2007.
Now let us see what can be done to improve the status of women.
The principle of gender equality is enshrined 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 adopt measures, a position;
indiscrimination in favour of women. Within the framework of democratic polity, our laws,
developmental policies, plans and programmes are aimed at womens advancement in
different spheres. India has also ratified various international conventions to secure rights of
women. The womens movement and a widespread networkof Non-Government
Organisations (NGOs) having strong grass-root presence and deep insight into womens
concerns have contributed in inspiring initiatives for the empowerment of women. Women
today are trying to understand their position in the society. Women have become increasingly
aware of sexual inequalities in every sphere of life and are seeking ways to fight. theFree
India has, besides her woman prime minister, women ambassadors, women cabinet ministers,
women legislators, women governors, women scientists, engineers-doctors-space researchers-
giant IT specialists, women Generals, women public officers, judiciary officers and in many
more responsible position.


CHANGES IN PEOPLEs OLD THINKINGS AND ACTS:
Hindu law has been changed and modified. Far-reaching changes have been introduced in the
Hindu Marriage Act. Women have been given right to divorce in certain cases. Besides this,
the Hindu Succession Act has given to the daughter;the right to the property of her parents.
Our Constitution has given equal rights to women. No distinction has been made on the basis
of caste, religion or sex. Their rights have thus been safeguarded. Thirdly, three percent
reservation for women is apt to be enacted in the future.
Free India has, besides her woman prime minister, women ambassadors, women cabinet
ministers, women legislators, women governors, women scientists,engineers-doctors-space
researchers-giant IT specialists, women Generals, women public officers, judiciary officers
and in many more responsible positions. No distinction is now made in matters of education
between boys and girls.Their voice is now as forceful and important as that of men. They are
becoming equal partners in making or dismissing of a government.


ILLUSIONARY:
Even after half a century of independence, barring a few exceptions, women have mostly
remained outside the domain of power and political authority. Although they constitute about
half of the citizen and over the years their participation by way of voting has increased, yet
their participation and representation in law making and law implementing bodies are not
very satisfactory.No doubt the 73rd and 74th constitutional amendment acts have provided
access to women in the decision making process at the grass-root level but their
representation in the Parliament and state legislatures is woefully poor. Insecurity does not
allow the women leaders to identify leadership at the grass-root level. In politics when a man
proposes, they themselves depose. In reality women representatives are ornamental in nature
and political consciousness is found lacking among them. They are affected by the caste and
class divisions, feudal attitudes, patriarchal nature of the family and village-social,
environmental, ethnic, religious separatism and the like. They are members on record only.
Allegedly, they are not consulted while taking decision. Thus, women representatives are not
free from male dominance in the village administration and no significant change in the
power equal is observed in the villages.In these days of scam-ridden politics, the increasing
role of money and mafia in elections keeps most of the women away from politics.Increasing
violence and vulgarity against them intimates women and consequently they prefer to stay
out of politics What are the reasons for this sorry state of
affairs ? Issues may be various and varied, however a few basic issues deserve specific
mention:
Lack of awareness
Lack of social and economic empowerment
Lack of political will
Feebleness of accountability mechanisms
Lack of enforcement by the police force
Lack of gender culture
The question arises, how greater participation of women in politics can be
achieved ? Generally, the answer is suggested in the form of 'reservation'. However, mere
reservation will not solve the problem unless and until women are given commensurate
powers to function effectively and they themselves become
more conscious and aware of their rights and duties.
More steps to be taken.

There cannot be any dramatic movement in the system just by including women members in
Gram Panchayat. At the same time, it is also essential to shed certain stereotyped prevailing
notions about role and importance of women in socio-economic development. Women should
be encouraged to play a more active part. The male representatives have to establish a rapport
with female representatives and give due respect and attention to their views. In the process
of development and decision-making women have to operate along with men. Of course,
there is some awareness among women due to reservation for them in the Panchayati Raj
Institutions (PRIs). But there is need for appropriate training and education relating to
different aspects in functioning of Panchayats to make women members conscious enough
about their effective role and representation in the Panchayat Samiti. This kind of training can
be organized at the district or block level immediately following the election. We have to
understand that women representatives can play a vital role in the formulation and
implementation of various women and child development programmes. This would increase
the efficacy of such programmes. For instance, the women representatives and Gram
Panchayat should have sufficient control over the primary education, primary health care and
running of the public distribution system.The state must pass and enforce legislation
so that the status of women in society is brought to a respectable level through the long arms
of the law.

In 1985, a separate department of Women and Child Development was set up. In the Sixth
Five Year plan, a separate chapter on
Women and Development was included. The government had started and implemented
major programmes like Support to Training-cum- Employment for Women (STEP),
Mahilakosh, Womens Development Corporation, etc.
However, legislations and efforts of the state have not made deeper in-roads into the rural and
urban areas. For example, sex determination of foetus still continues in all the rural regions of
the country despite the enforcement of legislation on Pre-natal Diagnostic Technique
(Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act, which was passed in 1994. The women of India
must oppose this sex determination of foetus, eve-teasing, brideburning, child marriage,
exploitation in the offices, lower wages for labour etc. women from all walks of life must
unite and must give priority to their education, growth and the prosperity of their families.
Police should accept more female officers and constables so that they are able to deal with the
female victims of our society. Female infanticide, female torture, Sati and dowry must be
banned in the country. Women must become literate, as education is beneficial for them as
well as their families. The family web is woven around the women. She has to be up to the
mark and educated so that she could fend for herself and her family during the hour of crisis.
The status of women would improve only if they educate themselves and grab every
opportunity to become stronger and more powerful than before. to be up to the mark and
educated so that she could fend for herself and her family during the hour of crisis. The status
of women would improve only if they educate themselves and grab every opportunity to
become stronger and more powerful than before.The discussion brings a major conclusion to
light-the status of women could be improved by women themselves and nobody else. It is the
modern era of satellites, achievements and technology-based gadget.

Why should women be left behind ? There should be a better and fuller understanding of the
problems peculiar to woman, to make a solution of those problems possible.As these
problems centre round the basic problem of inequality, steps should be taken to promote
equality of treatment and full integration of woman in the total development effort of the
country.
The main stress should be on equal work and elimination of discrimination in
employment.One of the basic policy objectives should be universal education of woman, the
lack of which tends to perpetuate the unequal status quo. The popular UNESCO slogan
should come in handy: educate a man and you educate an individual; educate a woman and
you educate a family. Women will have to empower themselves from below in order to
compel the government to empower them from above. Further, there is a need for a change
of values and behaviour in the society, a need for positive socio-cultural and economic
empowerment and above all the will power and strong determination of women to join
politics. Education can play a vital role in bringing about the desirable behavioural changes
among the women and make them well equipped in terms of knowledge, competence and
capacity to deal with different political problems.It may be concluded that women have
shifted traditional assumptions about their roles and capabilities. There has been a marked
change, and it has been for the better. Many of its benefits however have yet to touch the
majority and all of us continue to experience various forms of gender discrimination. If laws
designed to address the concerns of women are to have a dramatic and positive impact on
womens lives, they must be sensitive to the social, economic and political disempowerment
of women throughout the world. The most important measure of their success should be the
extent to which they enable woman to interpret, apply and enforce laws of their own making,
incorporating their own voices, values and concerns.

SELF HELP GROUPS:
Empowering through Self Help Groups
A self help group consists of 10-20 members drawn from a relatively homogeneous
economic class (i.e. poor), self selected on the basis existing affinities and mutual
trust; members meet regularly at a fixed time and place and pool their savings into a common
fund from which they take need based loans. The group develops its own
rules and regulations and sanctions for violations; the meeting procedures and
processes, leadership change norms, intensive training and handholding, are designed to enable
SHGs to function in a participatory and democratic manner. The objectives of the SHGs go
beyond thrift and credit and include the overall development of members in the social, political,
cultural and economic arena; thus the SHGs are credit plus institutions.
The Word Bank has suggested that empowerment of women should be a key aspect of social
development programs (World Bank, 2001). India has also ratified various international
Conventions committed to securing equal rights to women1. TheNational Policy for The
Empowerment of Women (2000) states that The womens movement and a widespread network
of NGOs which have strong grassroots presence and deep insight into womens concerns have
contributed in inspiring initiatives for the empowerment of women. However, the policy also
speaks of a wide gap between the goals enunciated in the Constitution, legislative Policies,
plans, programs, and the related mechanisms on the one hand and the situational reality of the
status of women in India, on the otherGender equality manifests itself in various forms, the
most obvious being the trend of continuously declining female ratio in the population in the last
few decades. United Nations (2001) defines empowerment as the processes by which women take
control and ownership of their lives through expansion of their choices.
The expansion in the range of potential choices available to women includes three inter-related
dimensions that are inseparable in determining the meaning of an indicator and hence its validity
as a measure of empowerment. These dimensions are (1) Resources: The pre-condition necessary
for women to be able to exercise choice; women must have access and future claims to material,
human and social resources; (2) Agency: The process of decision-making, including negotiation,
deception and manipulation that permit women to define their goals and act upon them; (3)
Achievements: The well-being outcomes that women experience as a result of access to resources
and agency Mayouxs (2000) definition of empowerment relates more directly with power, as a
multidimensional and interlinked process of change in power relations. It consists of:
Power within, enabling women to articulate their own aspirations and strategies for
change;
(2)Power to, enabling women to develop the necessary skills and access the necessary
resources to achieve their aspirations;
Power with, enabling women to examine and articulate their collective interests, to
organize, to achieve them and to link with other women and mens organizations for
change; and
Power over, changing the underlying inequalities in power and resources that constrain
womens aspirations and their ability to achieve them. These power relations operate in
different spheres of life (e.g., economic, social, political) and at different levels (e.g.,
individual, household, community, market, institutional).

NATIONAL POLICIES FOR THE EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN
(2001)

The principle of gender equality is enshrined 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
adopt measures of positive discrimination in favour of women.
Within the framework of a democratic polity, our laws, development policies, Plans and
programmes have aimed at womens advancement in different spheres.The 73
rd
and
74
th
Amendments (1993) to the Constitution of India have provided for reservation of seats
in the local bodies of Panchayats and Municipalities for women, laying a strong foundation
for their participation in decision making at the local levels.
India has also ratified various international conventions and human rights instruments
committing to secure equal rights of women. .
The Mexico Plan of Action (1975), the Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies (1985), the
Beijing Declaration as well as the Platform for Action (1995) and the Outcome Document
adopted by the UNGA Session on Gender Equality and Development & Peace for the
21
st
century, titled "Further actions and initiatives to implement the Beijing Declaration
and the Platform for Action" have been unreservedly endorsed by India for appropriate
follow up.
The womens movement and a wide-spread network of non-Government Organisations
which have strong grass-roots presence and deep insight into womens concerns have
contributed in inspiring initiatives for the empowerment of women.
However, there still exists a wide gap between the goals enunciated in the Constitution,
legislation, policies, plans, programmes, and related mechanisms on the one hand and the
situational reality of the status of women in India, on the other.
Gender disparity manifests itself in various forms, the most obvious being the trend of
continuously declining female ratio in the population in the last few decades. Social
stereotyping and violence at the domestic and societal levels are some of the other
manifestations. Discrimination against girl children, adolescent girls and women persists in
parts of the country.
The underlying causes of gender inequality are related to social and economic structure,
which is based on informal and formal norms, and practices.
Consequently, the access of women particularly those belonging to weaker sections
including Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes/ Other backward Classes and minorities,
majority of whom are in the rural areas and in the informal, unorganized sector to
education, health and productive resources, among others, is inadequate. Therefore, they
remain largely marginalized, poor and socially excluded.
Goals and Objectives
The goal of this Policy is to bring about the advancement, development and
empowerment of women. The Policy will be widely disseminated so as to encourage active
participation of all stakeholders for achieving its goals. Specifically, the objectives of this
Policy include
Creating an environment through positive economic and social policies for full
development of women to enable them to realize their full potential
Equal access to participation and decision making of women in social, political and
economic life of the nation.
Equal access to women to health care, quality education at all levels, career and vocational
guidance, employment, equal remuneration, occupational health and safety, social security
and public office etc.
Strengthening legal systems aimed at elimination of all forms of discrimination against
women
Changing societal attitudes and community practices by active participation and
involvement of both men and women.
Elimination of discrimination and all forms of violence against women and the girl child;
and
Building and strengthening partnerships with civil society, particularly womens
organizations.

Policy Prescriptions:
Judicial Legal Systems
Legal-judicial system will be made more responsive and gender sensitive to womens needs,
especially in cases of domestic violence and personal assault.
The Policy would aim to encourage changes in personal laws such as those related to marriage,
divorce, maintenance and guardianship so as to eliminate discrimination against women.
The Policy would aim to encourage changes in laws relating to ownership of property and
inheritance by evolving consensus in order to make them gender just.
Decision Making
Womens equality in power sharing and active participation in decision making, including
decision making in political process at all levels will be ensured for the achievement of the goals
of empowerment. All measures will be taken to guarantee women equal access to and full
participation in decision making bodies at every level, including the legislative, executive, judicial,
corporate, statutory bodies, as also the advisory Commissions, Committees, Boards, Trusts etc.
Affirmative action such as reservations/quotas, including in higher legislative bodies, will be
considered whenever necessary on a time bound basis. Womenfriendly personnel policies will
also be drawn up to encourage women to participate effectively in the developmental process.
Mainstreaming a Gender Perspective in the Development Process
Policies, programmes and systems will be established to ensure mainstreaming of womens
perspectives in all developmental processes, as catalysts, participants and recipients. Wherever
there are gaps in policies and programmes, women specific interventions would be undertaken to
bridge these. Coordinating and monitoring mechanisms will also be devised to assess from time to
time the progress of such mainstreaming mechanisms. Womens issues and concerns as a result
will specially be addressed and reflected in all concerned laws, sectoral policies, plans and
programmes of action.
Economic Empowerment of women
Poverty Eradication
Since women comprise the majority of the population below the poverty line and are very often in
situations of extreme poverty, given the harsh realities of intra-household and social
discrimination, macroeconomic policies and poverty eradication programmes will specifically
address the needs and problems of such women. There will be improved implementation of
programmes which are already women oriented with special targets for women. Steps will be
taken for mobilization of poor women and convergence of services, by offering them a range of
economic and social options, along with necessary support measures to enhance their capabilitily
Women and Economy
Womens perspectives will be included in designing and implementing macro-economic and
social policies by institutionalizing their participation in such processes. Their contribution to
socio-economic development as producers and workers will be recognized in the formal and
informal sectors (including home based workers) and appropriate policies relating to employment
and to her working conditions will be drawn up. Such measures could include:
Reinterpretation and redefinition of conventional concepts of work wherever necessary e.g. in the
Census records, to reflect womens contribution as producers and workers.
Globalization
Globalization has presented new challenges for the realization of the goal of womens equality, the
gender impact of which has not been systematically evaluated fully. However, from the micro-
level studies that were commissioned by the Department of Women & Child Development, it is
evident that there is a need for re-framing policies for access to employment and quality of
employment. Benefits of the growing global economy have been unevenly distributed leading to
wider economic disparities, the feminization of poverty, increased gender inequality through often
deteriorating working conditions and unsafe working environment especially in the informal
economy and rural areas. Strategies will be designed to enhance the capacity of women and
empower them to meet the negative social and economic impacts, which may flow from the
globalization process.
Women and Agriculture
In view of the critical role of women in the agriculture and allied sectors, as producers,
concentrated efforts will be made to ensure that benefits of training, extension and various
programmes will reach them in proportion to their numbers. The programmes for training women
in soil conservation, social forestry, dairy development and other occupations allied to agriculture
like horticulture, livestock including small animal husbandry, poultry, fisheries etc. will be
expanded to benefit women workers in the agriculture sector.
Women and Industry
The important role played by women in electronics, information technology and food processing
and agro industry and textiles has been crucial to the development of these sectors. They would be
given comprehensive support in terms of labour legislation, social security and other support
services to participate in various industrial sectors. Women at present cannot work in night shift in
factories even if they wish to. Suitable measures will be taken to enable women to work on the
night shift in factories. This will be accompanied with support services for security, transportation
etc.
Social Empowerment of Women
Education
Equal access to education for women and girls will be ensured. Special measures will be taken to
eliminate discrimination, universalize education, eradicate illiteracy, create a 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 occupation/vocation/technical
skills by women.
Health
A holistic approach to womens health which includes both nutrition and health services will be
adopted and special attention will be given to the needs of women and the girl at all stages of the
life cycle.
To effectively meet problems of infant and maternal mortality, and early marriage the availability
of good and accurate data at micro level on deaths, birth and marriages is required. Strict
implementation of registration of births and deaths would be ensured and registration of marriages
would be made compulsory.
Womens traditional knowledge about health care and nutrition will be recognized through proper
documentation and its use will be encouraged. The use of Indian and alternative systems of
medicine will be enhanced within the framework of overall health infrastructure available for
women.
Nutrition
In view of the high risk of malnutrition and disease that women face at all the three critical stages
viz., infancy and childhood, adolescent and reproductive phase, focussed attention would be paid
to meeting the nutritional needs of women at all stages of the life cycle. This is also important in
view of the critical link between the health of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women with
the health of infant and young children.
Drinking Water and Sanitation
Special attention will be given to the needs of women in the provision of safe drinking water,
sewage disposal, toilet facilities and sanitation within accessible reach of households, especially in
rural areas and urban slums. Womens participation will be ensured in the planning, delivery and
maintenance of such services.
Housing and Shelter
Womens perspectives will be included in housing policies, planning of housing colonies and
provision of shelter both in rural and urban areas. Special attention will be given for providing
adequate and safe housing and accommodation for women including single women, heads of
households, working women, students, apprentices and trainees.
Science and Technology
Programmes will be strengthened to bring about a greater involvement of women in science and
technology. These will include measures to motivate girls to take up science and technology for
higher education and also ensure that development projects with scientific and technical inputs
involve women fully.
Women in Difficult Circumstances
In recognition of the diversity of womens situations and in acknowledgement of the needs of
specially disadvantaged groups, measures and programmes will be undertaken to provide them
with special assistance. These groups include women in extreme poverty, destitute women, women
in conflict situations, women affected by natural calamities, women in less developed regions, the
disabled widows, elderly women, single women in difficult circumstances, women heading
households, those displaced from employment, migrants, women who are victims of marital
violence, deserted women and prostitutes etc.
Violence against women
All forms of violence against women, physical and mental, whether at domestic or societal levels,
including those arising from customs, traditions or accepted practices shall be dealt with
effectively with a view to eliminate its incidence. Institutions and mechanisms/schemes for
assistance will be created and strengthened for prevention of such violence , including sexual
harassment at work place and customs like dowry; for the rehabilitation of the victims of violence
and for taking effective action against the perpetrators of such violence. A special emphasis will
also be laid on programmes and measures to deal with trafficking in women and girls.
Rights of the Girl Child
All forms of discrimination against the girl child and violation of her rights shall be eliminated by
undertaking strong measures both preventive and punitive within and outside the family. These
would relate specifically to strict enforcement of laws against prenatal sex selection and the
practices of female foeticide, female infanticide, child marriage, child abuse and child prostitution
etc. Removal of discrimination in the treatment of the girl child within the family and outside and
projection of a positive image of the girl child will be actively fostered. There will be special
emphasis on the needs of the girl child and earmarking of substantial investments in the areas
relating to food and nutrition, health and education, and in vocational education. In implementing
programmes for eliminating child labour, there will be a special focus on girl children.
Institutional Mechanisms
Institutional mechanisms, to promote the advancement of women, which exist at the Central and
State levels, will be strengthened.
National and State Resource Centres on women will be established with mandates for collection
and dissemination of information, undertaking research work, conducting surveys, implementing
training and awareness generation programmes, etc. These Centers will link up with Womens
Studies Centres and other research and academic institutions through suitable information
networking systems.
While institutions at the district level will be strengthened, at the grass-roots, women will be
helped by Government through its programmes to organize and strengthen into Self-Help Groups
(SHGs) at the Anganwadi/Village/Town level. The womens groups will be helped to
institutionalize themselves into registered societies and to federate at the Panchyat/Municipal
level. These societies will bring about synergistic implementation of all the social and economic
development programmes by drawing resources made available through Government and Non-
Government channels, including banks and financial institutions and by establishing a close
Interface with the Panchayats/ Municipalities. Measures to prevent and punish sexual harassment
at the place of work, protection for women workers in the organized/ unorganized sector
Womens Cells in Police Stations, Encourage Women Police Stations Family Courts, Mahila
Courts, Counselling Centers, Legal Aid Centers and Nyaya Panchayats will be strengthened and
expanded to eliminate violence and atrocities against women.
Gender Sensitization
Training of personnel of executive, legislative and judicial wings of the State, with a special focus
on policy and programme framers, implementation and development agencies, law enforcement
machinery and the judiciary, as well as non-governmental organizations will be undertaken. Other
measures will include:
(a) Promoting societal awareness to gender issues and womens human rights.
(b) Review of curriculum and educational materials to include gender education and human rights
issues
Partnership with the voluntary sector organizations: The involvement of voluntary
organizations, associations, federations, trade unions, non-governmental organizations, womens
organizations, as well as institutions dealing with education, training and research will be ensured
in the formulation, implementation, monitoring and review of all policies and programmes
affecting women. Towards this end, they will be provided with appropriate support related to
resources and capacity building and facilitated to participate actively in the process of the
empowerment of women.
International Cooperation: The Policy will aim at implementation of international
obligations/commitments in all sectors on empowerment of women such as the Convention on All
Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Convention on the Rights of the Child
(CRC), International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD+5) and other such
instruments. International, regional and sub-regional cooperation towards the empowerment of
women will continue to be encouraged through sharing of experiences, exchange of ideas and
technology, networking with institutions and organizations and through bilateral and multi-lateral
partnerships.
CONCLUSION
Hence we have seen how women have faced various difficulties and have yet achieved quite a lot.
We have also seen that women empowerment is necessary for the development of the
country.Therefore, to sum up in a nutshell, we can say that-
While a lot has already been done for the empowerment of women, a lot remains to be.













APPENDIX: Timeline
The steady change in their position can be highlighted by looking at what has been achieved
by women in the country:
1848: Jyotirao Phule, along with his wife Savitribai Phule, opened a school for girls in
Pune, India. Savitribai Phule became the first female teacher in India.
1879: John Elliot Drinkwater Bethune established the Bethune School in 1849, which
developed into the Bethune College in 1879, thus becoming the first women's college
in India.
1883: Chandramukhi Basu and Kadambini Ganguly became the first female graduates
of India and the British Empire.
1886: Kadambini Ganguly and Anandi Gopal Joshi became the first women from
India to be trained in Western medicine.
1905: Suzanne RD Tata becomes the first Indian woman to drive a car.
1916: The first women's university, SNDT Women's University, was founded on 2
June 1916 by the social reformer Dhondo Keshav Karve with just five students.
1917: Annie Besant became the first female president of the Indian National
Congress.
1919: For her distinguished social service, Pandita Ramabai became the first Indian
woman to be awarded the Kaiser-i-Hind by the British Raj.
1925: Sarojini Naidu became the first Indian born female president of the Indian
National Congress
1927: The All India Women's Conference was founded.
1944: Asima Chatterjee became the first Indian woman to be conferred the Doctorate
of Science by an Indian university
1947: On 15 August 1947, following independence, Sarojini Naidu became the
governor of the United Provinces, and in the process became India's first woman
governor.
1951: Prem Mathur of the Deccan Airways becomes the first Indian women
commercial pilot.
1953: Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit became the first woman (and first Indian) president of
the United Nations General Assembly
1959: Anna Chandy becomes the first Indian woman judge of a High Court (Kerala
High Court)
1963: Sucheta Kriplani became the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, the first woman
to hold that position in any Indian state.
1966: Captain Durga Banerjee becomes the first Indian woman pilot of the state
airline, Indian Airlines.
1966: Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay wins Ramon Magsaysay award for community
leadership.
1966: Indira Gandhi becomes the first woman Prime Minister of India
1970: Kamaljit Sandhu becomes the first Indian woman to win a Gold in the Asian
Games
1972: Kiran Bedi becomes the first female recruit to join the Indian Police Service.
1979: Mother Teresa wins the Nobel Peace Prize, becoming the first Indian female
citizen to do so.
1984: On 23 May, Bachendri Pal became the first Indian woman to climb Mount
Everest.
1989: Justice M. Fathima Beevi becomes the first woman judge of the Supreme Court
of India.
1997: Kalpana Chawla becomes the first India-born woman to go into space.
1992: Priya Jhingan becomes the first lady cadet to join the Indian Army (later
commissioned on 6 March 1993)
1994: Harita Kaur Deol becomes the first Indian woman pilot in the Indian Air Force
(IAF), on a solo flight.
2000: Karnam Malleswari became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal
(bronze medal in the 2000 Summer Olympics at Sydney)
2002: Lakshmi Sahgal became the first Indian woman to run for the post of President
of India.
2004: Punita Arora became the first woman in the Indian Army to don the highest
rank of Lieutenant General.
2007: Pratibha Patil becomes the first woman President of India.
2009: Meira Kumar became the first woman Speaker of Lok Sabha, the lower house
in Indian Parliament