Women's Empowerment

Introduction

“Empowerment” has been claimed as one of the important benefits of children’s participation (Kellett, 2010; White and Choudhury, 2010). This is an attractive and plausible idea, but there is no consensus among those working in this field on what the term means, and currently no way to validate such claims.

Need for Women Empowerment

Almost every country, no matter how progressive has a history of ill-treating women. In other words, women from all over the world have been rebellious to reach the status they have today. While the western countries are still making progress, third world countries like India still lack behind in Women Empowerment.

In India, women empowerment is needed more than ever. India is amongst the countries which are not safe for women. There are various reasons for this. Firstly, women in India are in danger of honor killings. Their family thinks its right to take their lives if they bring shame to the reputation of their legacy.Moreover, the education and freedom scenario is very regressive here. Women are not allowed to pursue higher education, they are married off early. The men are still dominating women in some regions like it’s the woman’s duty to work for him endlessly. They do not let them go out or have freedom of any kind.

In addition, domestic violence is a major problem in India. The men beat up their wife and abuse them as they think women are their property. More so, because women are afraid to speak up. Similarly, the women who do actually work get paid less than their male counterparts. It is downright unfair and sexist to pay someone less for the same work because of their gender. Thus, we see how women empowerment is the need of the hour. We need to empower these women to speak up for themselves and never be a victim of injustice.

CESESMA, a children’s rights organisation in Nicaragua, developed a conceptualisation of empowerment as a process which links three essential factors: capacity, conditions/‌opportunities, and attitude/self-belief (CESESMA/UNN, 2010; Shier et al., 2014). This paper describes a qualitative research study undertaken in August 2017 with adolescents who had experienced such processes of empowerment, the aim of which was to contribute to a fuller understanding of the nature of empowerment and how it occurs; and how adult supporters and facilitators of child and adolescent participation can most effectively contribute to such processes.

This paper has six sections. Following this introduction, key references in the literature are noted, though space precludes a full literature review. The third section is a summary of CESESMA’s concept of empowerment, followed by sections on the methodology, then the findings of the research. The concluding section notes the implications for those who seek to facilitate processes with children and adolescents that may help them to become empowered.

What is women’s empowerment?

Women’s empowerment can be defined to promoting women’s sense of self-worth, their ability to determine their own choices, and their right to influence social change for themselves and others.

It is closely aligned with female empowerment – a fundamental human right that’s also key to achieving a more peaceful, prosperous world.

In Western countries, female empowerment is often associated with specific phases of the women’s rights movement in history. This movement tends to be split into three waves, the first beginning in the 19th and early 20th century where suffrage was a key feature. The second wave of the 1960s included the sexual revolution and the role of women in society. Third wave feminism is often seen as beginning in the 1990s.

Women’s empowerment and promoting women’s rights have emerged as a part of a major global movement and is continuing to break new ground in recent years. Days like International Women’s Empowerment Day are also gaining momentum.

But despite a great deal of progress, women and girls continue to face discrimination and violence in every part of the world.

Topics on women's empowerment:

Women's empowerment is the process of empowering women. Empowerment may be defined in several ways, including accepting women's viewpoints or making an effort to seek them, raising the status of women through education, awareness, literacy, and training.

How to Empower Women?

There are various ways in how one can empower women. The individuals and government must both come together to make it happen. Education for girls must be made compulsory so that women can become illiterate to make a life for themselves.

Women must be given equal opportunities in every field, irrespective of gender. Moreover, they must also be given equal pay. We can empower women by abolishing child marriage. Various programs must be held where they can be taught skills to fend for themselves in case they face financial crisis.

Most importantly, the shame of divorce and abuse must be thrown out of the window. Many women stay in abusive relationships because of the fear of society. Parents must teach their daughters it is okay to come home divorced rather than in a coffin.

List of Major Women Empowerment schemes in India

The important women empowerment schemes in India are listed below:

Women Empowerment scheme	Launch Yea r	Objectives
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme	2015	To prevent gender-biased sex selective elimination To ensure survival & protection of the girl child To ensure education and participation of the girl child
One-Stop Centre Scheme	2015	To provide support and assistance to women affected by violence, both in private and public spaces. To Facilitate/Assist in filing First Information Report (FIR/NCR) To provide psycho-social support and counselling to women/girl
Women Helpline Scheme	2016	To provide toll-free 24-hours telecom service to women affected by violence. To facilitate crisis and non-crisis intervention through referral to the appropriate agencies such as police/Hospitals/Ambulance services/District Legal Service Authority (DLSA)/Protection Officer (PO)/OSC. To provide information about the appropriate support services, government schemes, and programs available to the woman affected by violence, in her particular situation within the local area in which she resides or is employed.
UJJAWALA	2016	To prevent the trafficking of women and children for commercial sexual exploitation. To facilitate the rescue of victims from the place of their exploitation and place them in safe custody. To provide rehabilitation services with both immediate and long-term to the victims by providing basic amenities/needs such as shelter, food, clothing, medical treatment including counseling, legal aid and guidance, and vocational training.
Working Women Hostel	1972-73	To promote the availability of safe and conveniently located accommodation for working women. To provide accommodation to children of working women, up to the age of 18 years for girls and up to the age of 5 years for boys.
SWADHAR Greh	2018	To cater to the primary need for shelter, food, clothing, medical treatment, and care of women in distress. To provide women with legal aid and guidance.
Support to Training and Employment Programme for Women (STEP)	1986-87	To provide skills that give employability to women. To benefit women in the age group of 16 and above in the country.
Nari Shakti Puraskar	2016	To strengthen the place of women in society. To facilitate institutions that work towards the progress and development of women in society.
Mahila Shakti Kendras (MSK)	2017	To create an environment for women where they have access to healthcare, quality, education, guidance, employment, etc. To facilitate these opportunities at the block and district level in the country.
NIRBHAYA	2012	To facilitate safety and security for women at various levels. To ensure strict privacy and confidentiality of women’s identity and information. Provision for real-time intervention as far as possible
Mahila E-Haat	2016	To facilitate entrepreneurship opportunities online for women. To educate women on various aspects of online selling and helping them establish their venture.
Mahila Police Volunteers	2016	An MPV will serve as a public-police interface in order to fight crime against women. The broad mandate of MPVs is to report incidences of violence against women such as domestic violence, child marriage, dowry harassment and violence faced by women in public spaces.

The government of India has taken the safety and empowerment of women and children into serious consideration. The growing injustice towards women had to be minimised, and these schemes are the solutions to the major problems related to women in India. Aspirants should also know that Women Empowerment Essay is a probable choice in UPSC Mains. So making use of these schemes, aspirants can easily draft a good Women Empowerment Essay.

There are multiple other Government Schemes in India launched for the betterment of people in the society and for the overall development of the country. Aspirants can visit the linked article and learn in detail about the various schemes and campaigns introduced by the Government.

Women Empowerment in India – Recent News

Speaking on the 25th Anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women, Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani said at the United Nations that India recognises the centrality of gender equality and women’s empowerment in all aspects of developmental agenda. The minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani highlighted that more than 200 million women have been brought into the formal banking system through the Government’s Financial Inclusion Initiative. Innovative use of digital technologies has provided equal opportunity for women to access insurance, loans, and social assistance.
Microsoft on Wednesday announced recently it has collaborated with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to impart digital skills to more than one lakh underserved women in India. This initiative is an extension of Microsoft’s partnership with NSDC to provide digital skills to over 1 lakh youth in the country. The programme will curate a series of live training sessions and digital skilling drives to help create opportunities for young girls and women, particularly first time job seekers and those whose jobs may have been impacted by COVID-19, to join the future workforce
Women’s empowerment in India has received more attention in recent years, and one NGO is working to help disadvantaged Indian women achieve financial independence with one specific method: an all-women cab company. The Azad Foundation’s Women on Wheels program empowers impoverished women in India by providing them with a stable source of income and a safe environment where women can travel without fear of being harassed.

Like other global and domestic celebrations, International Women’s Day, which fell on March 8 this year, has become a shopping carnival in China. Global luxury brands, however, have focused less on this occasion than on Valentine’s Day and Chinese Lunar New Year. Given that female consumers purchase more than 75 percent of the luxury items in China — the percentage would be even greater if gifts by men for women were included — brands are missing a critical occasion to reach this growing and desirable market.

As more and more Chinese females focus on self-empowerment and self-expression, campaigns and slogans that favor the male-gaze-oriented aesthetics are being called out by savvy Chinese netizens. Meanwhile, motivated by female medical workers who have been fighting the COVID-19 virus on the frontlines, the Chinese society is calling out for more respect and understanding for women. As such, brands should adjust their marketing campaigns to reflect this new awakening, learning from two recent marketing mistakes by Chanel and Estée Lauder.

The Chanel Chance perfume’s controversial slogan for this International Women’s Day translated from Coco Chanel’s renowned quote “A woman who does not wear perfume has no future” aroused wide disagreement among netizens, ranking high on Weibo’s “Hot Topic” list, while Estée Lauder, the best selling brand from last year’s Singles’ Day, is being accused of sexism due to content that involved the objectification of women, delivering unrespectful messages like “how can you attract guys’ attention and become the winner in life if your skin is aging and sagging.”

Netizens’ protests on these offensive ads, in line with a new gender movement initiated by Chinese millennial netizens on Weibo since February, urge brands’ attention on gender equality and women’s rights. For this International Women’s Day amid the COVID-19 epidemic, a few local and global brands have demonstrated creativity and inclusivity in their digital campaigns — not only offering exclusive online promotions, but also challenging the ingrained stereotypes and expectations on females. With this in mind, Jing Daily has rounded up five leading luxury players that neatly leveraged “womenomics” and precisely reached young Chinese female consumers on this International Women’s Day.

1. The Women's Empowerment Principles

Created in a collaboration between the UN Global Compact and UN Women, the Women’s Empowerment Principles are used to empower women in the marketplace, workplace and community.

The seven Principles are:

Principle 1: Create high-level corporate leadership for gender equality
Principle 2: Treat all people fairly at work, respecting and supporting non-discrimination and human rights
Principle 3: Ensure the health, wellbeing and safety of all workers, whether male or female
Principle 4: Promote education, training and professional development for women
Principle 5: Implement supply chain, marketing practices and enterprise development that empower women
Principle 6: Champion equality through community initiatives and advocacy
Principle 7: Measure and report publicly on progress to create gender equality

Slogans on Women’s Education:

Women’s education in India assumes a significant function in the general advancement of the nation. It not just aides in the advancement of half of the HR, yet in improving personal satisfaction at home and outside. Taught females not just will in general advance training of their young lady youngsters, yet besides can give better direction to every one of their kids.

Also taught women could likewise help in the decrease of newborn child death rate and development of the populace. Notwithstanding, as we live in the 21st century and know well the estimation of both, young men and young ladies; both are similarly liable for the turn of events and the brilliant fate of the nation. In this way, it is a critical need to spare and teach a young lady kid in India if we genuinely need to be the resident of a created nation.

15 Unique and Catchy Slogans on Women’s Education

1. Focus in on knowledge and women education and build up the country.
2. Young ladies education is an entrance to the created country.
3. Books are instruments of achievement and build up the country.
4. Teach the young ladies and engage the country.
5. Teaching young ladies can give numerous notable pioneers to the nation.
6. Teaching young ladies in the present will give the sweet organic product in future.
7. In India, no young woman or girl education ought to be abandoned!
8. Each young lady has rights to learn! Educate young ladies.
9. Try not to sit around, begin instructing young ladies!
10. Instruct a young lady youngster and light up the fate of the nation.
11. Excellent women training is the base of the created country.
12. Instruct a young lady youngster and give her approach to be free. Know the best strategy to develop from excellent training. It is through educating the women!
13. Leave a young lady youngster alone enabled with appropriate training.
14. Let each young lady youngster instruct to murder the evil spirit of sexual orientation segregation in the general public.
15. Release sexual orientation imbalance away from the general public through young ladies training.

Self empowerment

Self empowerment means an individual is in control of his or her life and views the trials they face in life in a positive way. It's also about building self-esteem and confidence. And with the right kind of motivation, a person can be empowered to have a happier and more successful life.

Women's Self Defense

References

^ Jump up to:a b Kabeer, Naila. "Gender equality and women'empoverment: A critical analysis o the third millennium development goal 1." Gender & Development 13.1 (2005): 13–24.
^ Jump up to:a b c d Mosedale, Sarah (March 1, 2005). "Assessing women's empowerment: towards a conceptual framework". Journal of International Development. 17 (2): 243–257. doi:10.1002/jid.1212. ISSN 1099-1328.
^ Jump up to:a b Bayeh, Endalcachew (January 2016). "The role of empowering women and achieving gender equality to the sustainable development of Ethiopia". Pacific Science Review B: Humanities and Social Sciences. 2 (1): 38. doi:10.1016/j.psrb.2016.09.013.
^ Oxfam (Forthcoming), "Women's Economic Empowerment Conceptual Framework"
^ Baden, Sally; Goet, Anne Marie (July 1997). "Who Needs [Sex] When You Can Have [Gender]? Conflicting Discourses on Gender at Beijing". Feminist Review. 56 (1): 3–25. doi:10.1057/fr.1997.13. ISSN 0141-7789. S2CID 143326556.

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Kolhe Dipali Dnyaneshwar

(B.ed. first Year 2023-24)

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