PANJAB UNIVERSITY

SWAMI SARVANAD GIRI REGIONAL CENTRE, HOSHIARPUR

Subject: Research Methodology

Topic: - Gender equality and women empowerment: Key for nation building

Submitted to:- D Faculty of law

Gender equality is a fundamental human right that ensures everyone, no matter their gender, can live with
dignity and freedom. It’s also a crucial stepping stone for overall development and fighting poverty. When
we empower women, we look after remarkable improvements in health, education and productivity for
families and communities, which in turn creates better opportunities for future generations. A key part of
advancing gender equality is empowering women, which means we need to recognize and address power
imbalances while giving women more control over their lives. The empowerment is vital for achieving
sustainable development and upholding universal human rights. The future of sustainable development
relies on both women and men having equal chances to reach their full potential.
However, women and girls still face significant challenges in every area we look at, and in some cases, boys
are also falling behind. To tackle the issues women face, we must recognize their diversity, including the
different roles they play and factors like age, social status, whether they live in urban or rural areas, and
their education levels. Investing in economically disadvantaged women and promoting gender equality in
households and society can lead to significant progress in development. Expanding women’s opportunities
in fields like public works, agriculture, and finance can drive economic growth and help mitigate the effects
of current and future financial crises.
Keywords: Gender equality, sustainable development, educational attainment

Gender equality is a human right which entitles all persons irrespective of their gender to live with
dignity and with freedom. Gender equality is also a precondition for all round development and reducing
poverty. Empowered women make invaluable contribution to the improvement of health conditions and
educational status and productivity of whole families and communities, which in turn improve prospects
for the next generation. A Empowerment is a situation in which people, organizations and communities acquire the
critical aspect of promoting needed control over the problems that affect them (Rappaport 1987; Zimmerman, 1995) [14, 20].
gender equality is the The concept of empowerment cannot be understood just as a single definition. The concept of
empowerment of women,
empowerment must be understood in relation to the specific needs of the people who are
with a focus on identifying
and redressing power
yearning for empowerment (Kabeer, 2005) [7].
imbalances and giving Women empowerment is a situation in which women are given the opportunity to participate
women more autonomy to fully in social, political and economic spheres of life (Sushama, 1998) [16]. Women
manage their own lives. empowerment simply means increasing educational opportunities of women’s that they are
Women's empowerment is able to make meaningful decisions about themselves and their families (Pathak 2003). Women
vital to sustainable have collectively struggled against direct and indirect barriers to their self-developments and
development and the their full social, political and economic participation. The constitution of India provided for
realization of human rights equal and privileges for men and women and makes special provisions for women to help
for all. Long-term,
them to improve their status in society (Afshar, 1991) [1].
sustainable development will
only be possible when Science and technology have a profound effect on the search for feasible pathways towards
women and men enjoy equal sustainable and inclusive development strategies. Inclusive development is the one where all
opportunity to rise to their sections of the society irrespective of gender are included without any bias. However, the
potential. But today, women impact of science and technology on societies has not yet been uniformly beneficial. Policies
and girls continue to face and plans for the use of science and technology for inclusive development is gender insensitive
disadvantages in every sector
in which we work, while in
some cases, boys are falling
behind. Addressing
women’s issues also requires
recognizing that women are a
diverse group, in the roles
they play as well as in
characteristics such as age,
social status, urban or rural
orientation and educational
attainment. Putting resources
into poor women’s hands
while promoting gender
equality in the household and
in society results in large
development payoffs.
Expanding women’s
opportunities in public
works, agriculture, finance,
and other sectors accelerates
economic growth, helping to
mitigate the effects of current
and future financial crises.

Keywords: Gender equality,

Introduction
Indians ancient ascribes
status of women as
Laxmi, Durga and
Saraswati who are three
great Goddesses of
prosperity, power and
wisdom respectively. The
ancient scriptures declared
that “God live where
women are worshipped”.
Now a day’s women play
an important role in entire
family affairs.
Empowerment is a
process in which people
acquire social, economic
and political power to
liberate themselves from
injustices in society
(Wallerstein, 1992) [18].
International Journal of Home Science http://www.homesciencejournal.com

and do not respond to the needs and aspirations of both men who engage with villagers, they have played a crucial role in
and women equitably. Women's concerns and interests still improving the health of women and children across India
appear to be unrecognized. Failure to recognize the (Young et al., 1993) [19].
differential impact of technical change on the lives of men
and women is likely to have a negative impact on the Gender Equality: A Cornerstone of Development
development process as a whole. Gender equality is defined as the process of “leveling the
The development indicators that measure their quality are playing field for both men and women so that all sexes” are
improving: maternal mortality rates are declining, women’s able to develop their talents in a given geographical
literacy is increasing. More and more women have access to environment (UNICEF, 2008) [17]. Gender equality, as another
healthcare and education. But change is heartbreakingly slow form of women empowerment, means according women
when seen in the context of the continuing discrimination and equality of opportunity and removing obstacles that hinder
violence women encounter in this country. India ranks 113 women from participating fully in commerce, education,
(out of 135 countries) on the World Economic Forum’s politics and culture (Backhams, 2007) [4]. Studies have shown
Gender Gap Index. According to India’s 2011 census, the sex that gender equality is addressed by giving women more
ratio for children under six was 914 females to 1,000 males, a access to land, credit market and labour opportunities
disturbing decline from 927 in 2001. The ranking of Indian (Morrison et al., 2007) [10]. Gender equality is, first and
women in economic empowerment is 0.3 where 1.0 signifies foremost, a human right. Women are entitled to live in dignity
equality. and in freedom from want and from fear. Empowering women
This is a dangerous state of affairs for any society. The lower is also an indispensable tool for advancing development and
economic status of women is alarming enough; their decline reducing poverty.
in the gender ratio is morally reprehensible. By denying Empowered women contribute to the health and productivity
women the opportunities they need to fulfill their potential, a of whole families and communities and to improved prospects
vast economic asset is being ignored-human capital. Women for the next generation. The importance of gender equality is
are undoubtedly the foundation of the basic unit of society-the underscored by its inclusion as one of the Millennium
family. Even in traditional roles, they demonstrate immense Development Goals. Gender equality is acknowledged as
innovation, skill and intelligence-in addition to hard work and being a key to achieving the other seven goals (Anand, 1992)
commitment. Harnessing these attributes, India can
[2].
effectively roll out a virtuous cycle of inclusive and equitable
growth. Understanding Gender Equality and Women's
Neglecting the talent, the creative power and the social Empowerment
harmonizing potential of women-i.e. half of the world’s Gender equality implies a society in which women and men
population-is an unforgivable waste. It has to be considered as enjoy the same opportunities, outcomes, rights and
the fifth-or maybe the first-of the "global intolerable", as a obligations in all spheres of life. Equality between men and
most serious social disease. Examples of this disease may be women exists when both sexes are able to share equally in the
quoted as: deficit of women scientists at top level university distribution of power and influence; have equal opportunities
management and professorial posts; practical exclusion of for financial independence through work or through setting up
women scientists in development policy creation; businesses; enjoy equal access to education and the
discrimination against women scientists in recruitment for opportunity to develop personal ambitions. A critical aspect
leading positions in research; feminization of professions with of promoting gender equality is the empowerment of women,
low resources, status and capacity to generate excellence in with a focus on identifying and redressing power imbalances
research and education; and ignoring women scientists in and giving women more autonomy to manage their own lives.
delivering awards and other forms of recognition (Mizan, Women's empowerment is vital to sustainable development
1994) [9]. and the realization of human rights for all. Where women’s
At the turn of the millennium, the whole world is going status is low, family size tends to be large, which makes it
through a major historical transformation of a more difficult for families to thrive. Population and
multidimensional nature: scientific and technological, development and reproductive health programmes are more
economic, social, cultural, political and geopolitical. While effective when they address the educational opportunities,
some people see in this rapid and global changing process the status and empowerment of women.
seeds of a new, modern and more fair society, others remind When women are empowered, whole families benefit, and
us that it is actually increasing social inequality and exclusion these benefits often have ripple effects to future generations.
of large groups of people, and building a polarised world, The roles that men and women play in society are not
with no possible reversal in the near future. In this context, biologically determined-they are socially determined,
there is a growing concern about the present and future changing and changeable. Although they may be justified as
development of science and technology, a preoccupation being required by culture or religion, these roles vary widely
about how to establish a positive and concrete relationship by locality and change over time (Rappaport, 1984) [13].
between science and technology, human rights and ethical
values; create a synergetic interaction between productivity, Key Issues of Promoting Gender Equality
solidarity, safety and peace, that settled the ground for a Reproductive health: Women, for both physiological and
sustainable an inclusive development in all countries and social reasons, are more vulnerable than men to reproductive
regions. health problems. Reproductive health problems, including
Education extends to skills development and life lessons in maternal mortality and morbidity, represent a major-but
basic necessities such as healthcare and sanitation. An preventable-cause of death and disability for women in
exemplary model is the network of ASHA (Accredited Social developing countries. Failure to provide information, services
Health Activist) workers created under the National Rural and conditions to help women protect their reproduction
Health Mission. As trained female community health activists health therefore constitutes gender-based discrimination and a
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violation of women’s rights to health and life.

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Stewardship of natural resources: Women in developing that is both a goal in itself and recognized as essential to the
India and nations are usually in charge of securing water, food achievement of all the other Millennium Development Goals.
and fuel and of overseeing family health and diet. Therefore, An educated mother, for example, can have a positive effect
they tend to put into immediate practice whatever they learn on her child's educational opportunities. What's more,
about nutrition and preserving the environment and natural enhancing women's access to credit and finance, as well as
resources. their ability to inherit or own land, can unlock the untapped
potential of women entrepreneurs.
Economic empowerment: More women than men live in Global progress on achieving MDG 3 is lagging. Although
poverty. Economic disparities persist partly because much of gender parity in primary education at the global level is close
the unpaid work within families and communities falls on the to being achieved, gender disparities in secondary and post-
shoulders of women and because they face discrimination in secondary education remain high in certain developing
the economic sphere. regions. Eliminating gender disparity at all education levels
by 2015 may still be possible, but the other indicators for
Educational empowerment: About two thirds of the MDG 3 show that progress is slow. For example, in
illiterate adults in the world are female. parliamentary representation, although the global proportion
Higher levels of women's education are strongly associated of seats held by women continues to rise slowly-averaging
with both lower infant mortality and lower fertility, as well as 20.4 percent as of January 2012-one third of developing
with higher levels of education and economic opportunity for countries still have less than 10 percent-or no-female
their children. representation in their parliament at all (Farlane & Fehir,
1994) [8].
Political empowerment: Social and legal institutions still do
not guarantee women equality in basic legal and human Hindrances of Women Empowerment: The main Problems
rights, in access to or control of land or other resources, in that were faced by women in past days and still today up to
employment and earning, and social and political some extent:
participation. Laws against domestic violence are often not 1. Gender discrimination
enforced on behalf of women. 2. Lack of Education
3. Female Infanticide
Empowerment throughout the life cycle: Reproductive 4. Financial Constraints
health is a lifetime concern for both women and men, from 5. Family Responsibility
infancy to old age. 6. Low Mobility
7. Low ability to bear Risk
Intergenerational Gender Gaps 8. Low need for achievement
The differences in the work patterns of men and women, and 9. Absence of ambition for the achievement
the 'invisibility' of work that is not included in national
accounts, lead to lower entitlements to women than to men. Social status Dowry Marriage in same caste and child
Women’s lower access to resources and the lack of attention marriage (still existing) Atrocities on Women (Raped,
to gender in macroeconomic policy adds to the inequity, Kicked, Killed, Subdued, humiliated almost daily).
which, in turn, perpetuates gender gaps. For example, when
girls reach adolescence they are typically expected to spend Source: Shettar R.M, 2015 [15]
more time in household activities, while boys spend more
time on farming or wage work. By the time girls and boys Ways to Empower Women
become adults; females generally work longer hours than  Changes in women’s mobility and social interaction
males, have less experience in the labour force, earn less
 Changes in women’s labour patterns
income and have less leisure, recreation or rest time. This has
 Changes in women’s access to and control over resources
implications for investments in the next generation. If parents
view daughters as less likely to take paid work or earn market  Changes in women’s control over Decision making
wages, they may be less inclined to invest in their education,  Providing education
women's fastest route out of poverty.  Self-employment and Self-help group
 Providing minimum needs like Nutrition, Health,
Gender equality can be achieved by Sanitation, Housing
 Educating girls  Other than this society should change the mentality
 Increasing literacy rates among women towards the word women
 Increasing early childhood development  Encouraging women to develop in their fields they are
good at and make a career
 Interventions
 Increasing women’s labor force participation and
Programs for Women Welfare
strengthening labor policies affecting women
1. Developmental Corporation of women (DCW)
 Improving women’s access to credit, land and other
Women belonging to small farmers, marginal farmers,
resources
agricultural laborers and scheduled caste and scheduled tribes
 Promoting women’s political rights and participation
categories are eligible to get sheep loan from the corporation
 Expanding reproductive health programs and family
on the basis of the unit cost of Rs. 9000 per unit of 20 eves
support policies
and so on. The scheme is implemented through the animal
husbandry department.
Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women (MDG
3) Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 3, the promotion of 2. Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Park (STEP)
gender equality and women's empowerment, is the only MDG The objective is to provide training to rural women for
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increasing their production capacity and income generation in traditional and non-traditional trades. Basic and advanced
this programme; they give training in the areas of traditional computer training, garment making, secretariat practice,
business like agriculture, dairy farming, fisheries, handlooms, embroidery etc. and to ensure their employment in these areas
khadi etc. given training.
3. Training Rural Youth for Self Employment (TRYSEM) 13. Rural Women’s Development and Employment
The main thrust of the scheme is equipping rural youth with Project
necessary skills and technology to enable them to sack of self- This project was launched in 1998, for strengthening the
employment. The scheme envisages a stipend for six month or process of empowerment of women in six statuses through the
three months for the women. establishment of self-group.
4. Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP) 14. Dairy Information Services Kiosk (DISK)
The IRDP is a poverty alleviation and Employment oriented It is a project which uses information and communication
programme for the rural poor and is a centrally sponsored Technology (ICT) in the dairy sector in Gujarat. It is assisting
schemes fended by the central and state governments on dairy unions in effectively scheduling and organizing the
50:50 basis. The objective of the programme is to assist the veterinary, artificial insemination, cattle feed and other related
families below the poverty line in rural areas and to cross this services. Usage of ICT goes a long way in empowering men
line by taking up self-employment ventures. and women.
5. Mahila Udyam Nidhi Scheme (MUNS): Only women 15. Aamagaon Soochna Kendra (my village information
entrepreneurs are eligible to barrow loan under this scheme centre)
which aims to meet the gap in equity while setting up new This project started by Government of Odisha by setting up
industrial projects in small scale sector. 73 Information and Communication Technology (ICT) kiosks
in rural areas of 12 districts of Odisha. These kiosks are run
6. Balika Samriddhi Yojana (BSY): The objective of the by women SHGs/Panchayats/NGOs/CBOs youth clubs and
scheme is to changing community attitudes towards the girl managed by the community it valuators paid through user
child and improving her enrolment and retention in school. charges collected and managed by the local hosts.
7. Swarna Jayanti Swarozgar Yojana Scheme (SGSY): 16. Swayamsidha
SGSY the emended and merged version of the east while It is a certainly sponsored scheme implemented under
DWCRA, IRDP and TRYSEM was launched in April integrated women empowerment programme with the
1999. It is a holistic credit cum subsidy programme, covering following objectives:
all aspect of self-employment  Establishment
 Improving access to women to micro credit
8. Jawahar Rozgar Yojana (JRY): JRY provides facilities
 Involvement of women in local level planning
for women through training and employment. The Indira
Awas Yojana, art of the JRY, aims at providing homes full of  Strengthening institutionalizing the habits in rural women
cost the poor people. and their control over economic resources.

17. Smile
9. Trade Related Entrepreneurship Assistance and
Savitri Marketing Institution for ladies empowerment is a
Development (TREAD): It was launched by the government
voluntary organization in Pune. The project has increased
in 1998. It was designed to generate self-employment for
literacy level of underprivileged women through the usage of
45,000 women in rural and urban areas. The package involves
IT. Through Internet, there is greater awareness and exposure
financial assistance and services thorough NGOs in the non-
and market reach for the product. Internet has also helped
farm sector.
them market their various products like soft toys, candles,
10. Indira Mahila Yojana (IMY) bags, utility items etc.
It was launched in 1995 in over 200 blocks of India, for the
Challenges
holistic empowerment of women. IMY is being implemented
There are several constraints that check the process of women
in 238 blocks and till how 40,000 women’s groups have been
empowerment in India. Social norms and family structure in
formed under scheme of these groups were formed in 1999-
developing countries like India, manifests and perpetuate the
2000.
subordinate status of women. One of the norms is the
continuing preference for a son over the birth of a girl child
11. Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (RMK)
which in present in almost all societies and communities. The
It is national credit fund extends credit facilities stop or and
society is more biased in favor of male child in respect of
needy women. The risk was extended loans to 20000 self-help
education, nutrition and other opportunities. The root cause of
groups of women and has a membership of over 300000. It is
this type of attitude lies in the belief that male child inherits
instrumented in encouraging women to take central of their
the clan in India with an exception of Meghalaya. Women
own development, and has helped build confidence and
often internalize the traditional concept of their role as natural
political awareness.
thus inflicting an injustice upon them. Poverty is the reality of
life for the vast majority women in India. It is the another
12. Setting up employment cum-income Generating units
factor that poses challenge in realizing women’s
(NORAD)
empowerment. There are several challenges that are plaguing
This programme, partially assisted by NORAD aims to
the issues of women’s right in India. Targeting these issues
improve the lives of poor women by training them in
will directly benefit the empowerment of women in India.
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 Education: While the country has grown from leaps and 4. Backhams MC. Does increased gender equality lead to
bounds since independence where education is concerned. convergence of health outcomes for men and women? A
the gap between women and men is severe. While 82.14% study of Swedish Municipalities. Swedish National
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hit women very hard in employment and attaining top respond to Life-threatening Diseases (WORLD) in
leadership in any field. Schneider, Beth E. and Stoller, Nancy E. (Ed.) Women
 Poverty: Poverty is considered the greatest threat to peace Resisting AIDS: Feminist Strategies of Empowerment,
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