Do you know what is Empowerment ?

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Empowerment is the process which enables one to gain power,authority and influence over others,institutions or society.Empowerment is probably the totality of the following:1.Having decision-making power of one's own. 2.Having access to information and resources for taking proper decision. 3.Having positive thinking on the ability to make change. 4.Ability to learn skills for improving one's personal or group power. So, In short, empowerment is the process that allows one to gain the knowledge, skill-sets and attitude needed to cope with the changing world and the circumstances in which one lives

EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN NOT JUST A GOAL IN ITSELF, BUT KEY TO ALL GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT GOALS

Since the ancient times when King s were said to have as many as 200 wives, the social evils like sati, female infanticide, dowry and child marriage have been haunting the Indian Society. The prevalence of such fanatical practices is not only a sin but a matter of national shame. Since Independence concrete efforts have been made for the upliftment of women and to educate them on important issues of social, economic, political, legal cadre

HOW DID IT BEGAN ??

Women upliftment and empowerment in India first received National and International recognition when the Indira Gandhi s Government launched the Indira Mahila Yojana and when the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) incorporated the issue of Women Upliftment as one of its primary objective

Rise in literacy rate..

It is noticed that the female literacy rate during the period 1991-2001 increased by 14.87% whereas male literacy rate rose by 11.72%. Hence the female literacy rate actually increased by 3.15% more compared to male literacy rate.

Increase in sex ratio Sex Ratio is defined as the number of females per 1000 males. Sex Ratio is an important social indicator to measure the extent of prevailing equity between males and females.According to the Census of India, 2001, the sex ratio of India stands at 933. This is a marginal improvement from the 1991 Census, which had recorded 927 females for every 1000 males.

The status of women in India has been subject to many great changes over the past few millennia. From a largely unknown status 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.

The empowerment of women occurs in reality, when women achieve increased control and participation in decision making that leads to their better access to resources, and therefore, improved socioeconomic status.

Women in India now participate in all activities such as education, politics, media, art and culture, service sectors, science and technology, etc. eg. Sheila Dixit (Chief Minister of Delhi) Pratibha Devisingh Patil (first woman President of the Republic of India.

It has been rightly said that :- When a woman can plan her family, she can plan the rest of her life. When she is healthy, she can be more productive.

You don t have to be shades of grey; You can stand out and shine bright A message to every woman A message to every woman A message to every woman.

Women and Education

Education is important for girls and for women, yet it is often denied to them. A 1997 United Nations report notes that in low-income countries, 60% more women than men are illiterate. School enrollment for girls at the primary level is 13% lower than for boys. In China, there are twice as many illiterate women as men. Education is an integral part of empowering women. Education enables young girls to envision new opportunities for their futures beyond childbearing and an early marriage. Education increases girls' self-esteem and helps them to use and understand family planning techniques better. A study of 30 countries showed that women with no schooling bore an average of 6.9 children, while women with some schooling bore an average of three children.

Women and Politics

Women need to be able to participate in communitydecision-making processes. Often the important roles that women play in a community are over-looked by development projects and local decision-making. Projects and policies that support women's involvement in local and national decision-making are also important. International treaties that affirm women's rights are also important tools in helping women gain access to the opportunities that they deserve.

Women and Economic Opportunity

Women comprise two-thirds of the worlds poorest citizens. Many women cannot own any of the land that they work upon or borrow money to start a business without getting a man to sign for the loan. With no income of their own, women are dependent upon the men in their family to provide for them. Lacking money and therefore the ability to leave a household, women feel they have little power to negotiate for their own needs within the household.

What Should We Do
This approach involves:
y Support funding for projects that focus on educating

girls and women. y Support funding for micro-credit projects that focus on providing loans to women . y Support funding for international family planning and reproductive health care assistance. y Support universal treaties that affirm the rights of women.