Women EMPOWERMENT (WALK TO EQUALITY)

-------- KEY TO SUCCESS OF INDIA

• “Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status”

Type of worker

Occupational Distribution (%)

Women Men

Professional 7 7

Sales 4 14

Service 7 5

Production 22 37

Agricultural 59 33

Other 2 4

Key Problems :-

51

48

38

33

4

Market

Health facility

Places outside …

All three places

None of the three …

•Freedom to choose

partners for marriage

•Daughters were not

considered as

liability or

unwelcomed guest in

the family

•Widow marriages

were permissible

•Freedom to choose

partners for marriage

•Daughters were not

considered as

liability or

unwelcomed guest in

the family

•Widow marriages

were permissible

Sta

tus

of

wo

me

n

Vedic period(1500-1000 BC)

Vedic period(1500-1000 BC)

•Women had

Subjugated status

• But gave the

message that

respectable wife is

one who humbles

herself vis-à-vis her

husband

•Women had

Subjugated status

• But gave the

message that

respectable wife is

one who humbles

herself vis-à-vis her

husband

Period of epics

(1000-500 BC)

Period of epics

(1000-500 BC)

•Did not deserve

the freedom at any

point of time in her

life

•Not marring a girl

before the age of 14

years was a sin

•Did not deserve

the freedom at any

point of time in her

life

•Not marring a girl

before the age of 14

years was a sin

Age of Manushatra(500 – 200 BC)

Age of Manushatra(500 – 200 BC)

05-09-2013 10

Maitreyi, Gargi

Philosophers &

women seers

Reflecting into the “Vedas purana” of Indian culture, woman is being

worshiped such as LAXMI MAA, goddess of wealth; SARASWATI MAA,

for wisdom; DURGA MAA, for power.

The status of women in India, particularly in rural areas needs to address

the issue of empowering women.

Ironically, women have not actively participated in their own

emancipation mainly due to low economic independence.

With their age, they have been raped, kicked, killed, subdued &

humiliated almost daily.

Only 10% seats in world’s parliament & 6% in national cabinets are

held by them.

The process of empowering the women

Four of the main processes that could lead to women's empowerment, as defined by the IFAD evaluation, were:

• changes in women's mobility and social interaction

• changes in women's labor patterns

• changes in women's access to and control over resources

• changes in women's control over decision-making.

Women Empowerment Program

• Society for Human Development (SHD) carries out women empowerment program, and its implemented at 2 levels…..

1. Attitudinal change process at local level

2. Constitutional reforms and legislation for equal citizenship for women.

• CEDAW (Convention of Elimination of all kinds of Discrimination against Women) and focus the four sectoral areas……

1. Women’s Political and 2. legal Empowerment

3. Women’s Economic and 4. Social Empowerment.

Contd…..

The strategy adopted for interventions by CEDAW includes……

1. Capacity building of local women groups/councilors/political representatives.

2. Exploring opportunities for economic and social upliftment and transferring information, knowledge and skills to women.

3. Networking with national and regional level organizations for advocacy and lobbying at policy level.

4. Influencing policy makers and parliamentarians through demonstrations, walks, seminars and rallies.

How to achieve it?

• One of the strategies is “EDUCATION” that builds a positive self-image and boosts self-confidence among them & develops their ability to think critically.

• Promoting self-employment, through credit & training.

• Providing lean season wage employment.

• Addressing minimum needs such as nutrition, health, sanitation, housing & education.

• Direct involvement of women who are likely to be affected by development programme.

• Providing saving habit among them.

Legal Empowerment Hosted by the United Nations Development

Programme (UNDP).

Factors influcing women empowerment

Women Empowerment

Strength

Economically independent

women Industry

Wisdom Women literacy

Women participation in

election

Proportion of women in parliament, local

bodies

Empathy

05-09-2013 10

International Women Day, 8 March

a tribute to the women