Essay Topic: Women Empowerment

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Women empowerment connotes the following meaning in a vivid depiction

W-wisdom, O-origin, M-Motherhood, E-Energetic, N-Nucleus of family & Society, E-exemplary, M-Mobilizing, P-Problem Solving, O-operator, W-warmth, E-enthusiastic, R-responsible.

The combination of all these shows a path to progress to the Zenith where the shackles of oppression, Suppression, Superstitions are broken away and with an extraordinary velour & courage she walks to new life. A life of Security a life of livelihood, a life of beauty and above all a life where one can have a standoff. Curbing evils prevalent in society.

A look into the leant data reveals the plight of our womenfolk-more than 15000 rape cases are registered annually in the country female feticide has taken the ratio of girls per 1000 boys in below 6-year age group to 927. And at least five women are burnt each day in the dowry related cases. Though woman have taken rapid stride since independence they are still victim to political, socioeconomic and the legal neglect.

Woman have been relegated to the margins in spite of the fact that they numerically constitute at least half of the human race today. This has resulted in woman being unable to take a place of human dignity as free and independent entities, associated with men on the plane of intellectual and professional equality.

In such an awkward and awful situation the only way that woman can empower is by self-participation (1) In the areas of education (2) Against violence (3) Health care (4) Rural develop (5) Improve sex ratio. The basic requirement of which is education and literacy which is education and literacy which Creates awareness among them and helps them to realize their status in Society and take Full advantage of the concessions offered to them at the correct procedure by law.

Empowerment is to begin with the women՚s participation. Michael Foucault, one of the foremost French thinker writes that women have always been man՚s dependent and the two have never Shared the world provide equality. Man the sovereign would provide woman the liege with material protection but she must accept the moral constraints of confinement. Accor during to Foucault, woman՚s empowerment consists in refusing these constraints of male confinement.

Unless women throw off the shackles which ignore their talent, their skill and their spirit, women cannot be empowered. And unless they are empowered to take part in social, economic and political life of the country, the development of the country is ought to affected.

But the face is changing now. The Recent declaration of the Interim government in Afghanistan has included two women in its cabinet. No doubt, it is a worth-praising act for such a fanatic society and a gaint leap to boost Indian women՚s confidence.

India has given birth to such bold women that stood at the world frontiers to represent Indian Subcontinents with all its glamour & glory.

Such great women included the most renowned Indian Gandhi, Sarojini Naidu, Pandit Vijayalakshmi etc. When these wonders represented India, it was a period when our society was all mingled up with blind faiths and superstitions. But now the situation has changed people are becoming more broad minded than before. Now, we can see women working in many companies, factories, private and public firms as managing directors, existence managers, professors, personal secretaries and a many more to be listed kalpana chawla has led us to the aspect ‘Sitaro Se Aage Jahan aur Bhi Hai’ this has certainly led to an egoist male to having have a Depressive Episode Infact every field is now open for women representation with the help of constitutive bills. Now with the bill of 33% reservation for women candidates have motivated then to participate in the various activities. But all this we see constitutes a minority. What is majority is still at the mouth of illiteracy and unawareness. We have to create the foundation stone for these poor and destitute. We have to empower our local folk with much more Zeal and enthusiasm in them.

The year 2001 has been celebrated as women՚s empowerment year and March ‘8’ as the women՚s Day every year and a new set of initiatives have been taken by the government to tackle this problem.

We can examine the various effects along with their current status under the following groupings:

Political Empowerment-Though 73rd and 74th Amendment Bill (The Panchayati Raj Bill and Municipality Bill) ensured one third of the total seats for women in all elected offices of local bodies in reiral and urban, the failure of women՚s reservation bill has been a real dampeners so for as political empowerment is concerned. The lack of consensus among the political parties is but a veiled attempt to scuttle the bill that cuts into male domain and grants women political power.

Social and Legal Empowerment-for women gender justice and Social Justice are both equally important. To combat gender discrimination government is preparing extensively a package of legislative measures which includes introduction of some new bills and amendment of some old bills. Objective is to create an environment through positive social and economic policies for fuller development of women and an equal access to participation and decision making in social, political and economic life of nation. It also includes strengthening of the legal system. The inadequacy of machinery for detection of crime and its investigations has to be judged upon and give community support to women against these prevailing crimes.

Government is trying to introduce domestic violence prevention bill in the monsoon session. According to the results of 1998 survey about 31 percent of the crimes committed against women were perpetrated by their husbands and relatives.

Also the National Committed for women is drafting a bill against sexual harassment at the workplace. The Supreme Court in the famous Vishaka Case has already held Sexual harassment of women at workplace as Violative of fundamental rights of life, liberty and equality under articles 14,15, 19 (1) and 21 of the Constitution.

Government has determined to amend Certain articles and acts eg. Indian Succession Act 1925, Married women right to property act 1874, Hindu Succession act 1956, Dowry Prohibition act 1961, Incedent Representatives of women prohibition act 1986 and Immoral traffic Prevention Act 1956.

Economic Empowerment-Gender Disparity Reduces participation of women not only in employment but also severs that even educated. The effect is so severe that even education women are oppressed. As policy shifts from development to empowerment new initiates have cropped up. Women are now helping a lot in agriculture and as a result of which mahila smooh or self help groups have been formed who run their own cooperative credit societies. Village Nayla near Jaipur has created a live example of such smooth running credit Societies with impressed US former president Mr. Bill Clinton much that he visited it twice. Once during his official tour area of Gujarat.

SwaShakti project for women empowerment has also achieved great success. Swayamsiddha and Swadhar Schemes to help the rural and underprivileged women have lit a ray of hope for such destitute. Other such schemes and projects for empowerment of women includes Training cum Employment for women, Balikya Samriddhi Fojna, Rastriya mahil Kosh and Mahila Samakaya.

The change of approach from welfare to development to empowerment will be meaningless if acts and projects are allowed to remain dormant. We already have the means but either they fail to see the light of the day or remain tigers on paper unless an active approach coupled with mass awareness is pursued, women of 21st country will continue to live in Dark Age. Women՚s of our nation have great hidden potentials and calibers and country politically, economically and socially as well.

We have to remember that empowerment is achieved only when our Faith rests high and not on the dunes of sand which will be blown away by the wind.

Life՚s battle don՚t always go

To the stronger and faster man

But sooner or Later man who wins

Is the man who thinks he can.