Empowerment of Women in India Essay Example

in New York on March 11, 1996. This is deemed indispensable for the transformation of a developing nation into a developed one.

The session discusses the empowerment of women through the enactment of laws that address gender interests, family well-being, socioeconomic national affairs, and decision making. Louisa May Alcott, a renowned American novelist from the 19th century, aptly observes that when women provide advice, men often only listen and act upon it if it aligns with their own intentions. If the advice succeeds, women are given half the credit; if it fails, they are solely blamed.

The necessity for Women Empowerment has been recognized in India for a long time. Raja Rammohan Roy, a religious, social, and educational reformer who played a significant role in shaping Modern India, advocated for women's inheritance property rights and worked tirelessly to eliminate the outdated practice of 'Sati', a Hindu funeral tradition. Iswarchandra Vidyasagar, a prominent figure in the Bengali Renaissance, also championed the advancement of women's status in India. Additionally, Jyotirao Phule and Pearicharan Sarkar fought alongside them for the betterment of women.

Mahatma Gandhi later expressed his aim at the Second round table conference to establish a political society in India that ensures equal rights for women and men, as well as dignity and social, economic, and political justice for the vast population of India. The involvement of women in various life domains is vital for their empowerment. Education plays a significant role in achieving this objective since it is crucial for women to be educated and knowledgeable about their rights and advantages in today's society.

Education is crucial in raising awareness about

the social status, injustice, and discrimination experienced by women. Economic independence is also a vital factor in empowering women. India recognized this need early on, with the architect of its Constitution understanding that without empowerment, there would be no progress for women.

Various sections of the Indian Constitution, including the Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Fundamental Duties, and Directive Principles, incorporate the concept of gender equality. Moreover, the Constitution allows for measures to be taken by the State to promote gender equality. In a democratic society, our laws and development initiatives aim to enhance women's progress in different areas.

India ratified various international conventions and human rights instruments to guarantee equal rights for women, such as the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 1993. According to the 2001 Census, female literacy in India has significantly increased to 54% from a mere 9% in 1951. This advancement can be attributed to constitutional privileges, legislative measures, and yojana programs and missions that provide assistance to women.

The Constitutional Privileges for Women encompass various rights and provisions. These encompass Equality before the law for women (Article 14), The State's obligation to refrain from discriminating against any citizen based on religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth, or any combination of these factors (Article 15 (i)), The State's authority to establish special provisions to support women and children (Article 15 (3)), The State's responsibility to ensure equal opportunities for adequate means of livelihood for both men and women (Article 39(a)), equal pay for equal work for men and women (Article 39(d)), The State's duty to establish fair and humane working conditions and

provide maternity relief (Article 42), and the requirement for one-third of the total seats in each Panchayat to represent women, including those from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. These reserved seats must be rotated among different constituencies within a Panchayat (Article 243 D(3)).

India's legislative measures aim to uphold the Constitution by promoting equal rights, combating discrimination and violence, and providing support services for working women. To address women's issues, the government has established the Ministry of Women and Child Development, enacted laws to ensure legal equality, implemented gender budgeting, and initiated programs for greater inclusion of women.

While not all laws are specific to gender, there have been periodic reviews and amendments to laws that significantly affect women in order to accommodate their changing needs. Acts like The Hindu Succession Act, 1956 (amended in 2005), Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956, The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 (amended in 1995), Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, The Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971, The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976,
The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act ,2006,
Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act ,1986 ,
Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act ,1987 and
The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act ,2005 include special provisions aimed at safeguarding women and protecting their interests.

In addition to these efforts, the Government established the 'National Commission for Women' in January 1992 with a specific mandate to study and monitor matters related to women's constitutional and legal safeguards. This body also reviews existing legislation and suggests necessary amendments. The Department of Women & Child Development in the Ministry of Human Resource Development created a "National Policy for the Empowerment of Women" in 2001 to advance, develop, and

empower women. On March 8th, 1996, on International Women's Day, the parliament passed a resolution to establish a Standing Committee dedicated to improving women's status in India. Subsequently, in April 1997, the committee on Empowerment of Women was formed.

The idea of empowerment is increasingly acknowledged as a means for individuals lacking power to gain more control in their lives. The United Nations' 1994 Cairo conference emphasized the importance of empowering women, leading to the creation of the Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM) by UNDP. GEM focuses on three variables that indicate women's involvement in various societal areas. In a 1995 UNDP report, women's empowerment was specifically discussed. To enable women to make well-informed and effective choices regarding their health, nutrition, and the development of children and adolescents, a comprehensive intervention strategy is required.

The text highlights various government initiatives, including Antyodaya Anna Yojana (2000), National Rural Health Mission (2005), Janani Suraksha Yojana (2005), Indira Sahara (2000), Mukhya Mantri Antodaya Pusthaar Yojana (2009), Hindu Succession Act (1995), Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (1993), Apna Beti Apna Dhan Yojana, Haryana (1994), Kamdhenu Yojana, Maharashtra, and the Girls Child Protection Scheme, Andhra Pradesh. The Department of Women and Child Development has two primary programs targeting grassroots level services. These programs comprise the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) that covers 85 percent of villages nationwide and the Integrated Women's Empowerment Programme (IWEP) previously known as Indira Mahila Yojana. IWEP functions through women's self-help groups and operates in 650 blocks.

In the education field, there are currently 2180 residential Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya schools, which have been approved and are providing basic education to 182,000 girls who were previously out of

school. To empower girls in India, the government has implemented various schemes such as Gaun ki Beti, Kisori Balika Divas Yojana, Ladli Laksmi Yojana, Cycle Praday Yojana, among others. However, despite the existence of several acts, laws, and schemes, women and girls continue to experience violence in different forms on a daily basis. These range from female foeticide, infanticide, and rape, to dowry death and other indirect forms like abandoning older women. One of the most horrendous factors that oppress women is sexual harassment.

The incident in Guwahati, which involved approximately twenty men molesting a teenage girl in a public place, highlights the significance of prioritizing the holistic growth of Indian women. It is imperative to grant women their rightful entitlements and safeguard their innocence, propriety, and reverence to secure their esteemed status within society. Eradicating societal taboos is crucial for attaining enduring advancement and progress. To achieve this objective, both governmental and non-governmental entities, along with media outlets, must take proactive measures and actively promote consciousness within society.

Gender norms in all societies restrict resources and opportunities for women, creating challenges they must overcome. Empowering women is crucial to address global poverty and promote social change. Achieving a significant impact on society necessitates genuine efforts from all parties involved. Hence, it is vital to empower women in the present time. In conclusion, Swami Vivekananda's famous speech serves as a reminder that, just like a bird cannot fly with only one wing, the world cannot thrive without enhancing the status of women.