WOMEN EMPOWERMENT: How Far We Traversed? PDF Print E-mail
Social Justice
Written by Yash Raj Anand (Gunjan)   

In ancient India, women enjoyed a very high position but gradually their position degenerated into merely objects of pleasure meant to serve certain purpose. They lost their individual identity and even their basic human rights. It is high time we looked into the factors responsible for this degeneration and mended our ways so that a very vital section of the society does not stay ignored because then such a society would gradually decay.

Empowerment of Women

If we can imagine a situation where a woman has the Freedom of right to choose; she enjoys that liberty, in which she can have this right executed in whatever she does, be it her wearing of cloths or choosing arts or other humanities subject instead of science in her schooling days or preferring acting as a career instead of being a doctor; be it her choice of doing films or flying a fighter jet or fight an election etc, if she has her say in all of these, we would call this women empowerment in true sense of the term.

Empowerment is a multi-faceted, multi-dimensional and multi-layered concept. Women’s empowerment is a process in which women gain greater share of control over resources - material, human and intellectual like knowledge, information, ideas and financial resources like money - and access to money and control over decision-making in the home, community, society and nation, and to gain ‘power’. According to the Country Report of Government of India, ”Empowerment means moving from a position of enforced powerlessness to one of power”.
But, from time immemorial, the women in this land of ours were treated as a sort of thing. Her placing in the society was not at par with other human beings. She has no rights. She cannot move nor do anything at her will. In Hindu Shastras, she has been branded just like animals or some objects of enjoyment. From the verses of Ramayana as written by Tulsi Das, "Dhol, ganwar, shudra, pashu, naari- Ye sab tadan ke adhikari," In 'Manusmrti' the ancient Hindu Code-book, the status granted to women is quite visible and she was put to the lowest rug of humanity as she was treated at par with the animals and slave by the proprietors of Hindu Dharma. Such was the placement earmarked to our mothers, sisters and even great grand mothers that humanity was ashamed of.
That is why Dr. Ambedkar, the father and architect of Indian Constitution, was of the firm opinion that until and unless, we defy the Hindu Dharma-Shastras, nothing much can be changed. In the name of sanskaras, the Hindu women are tied to bondages of superstitions, which they carry till their death. They are also responsible for inculcating certain wrong notions learnt through baseless traditions and preaching of the Shastras, in the budding minds of their offspring.
Otherwise also, the women in India have remained a matter of joy (i.e. pleasure giving objects) and a source of amusement; as such she was and also up to some extent, ‘has been’ used and misused by men just to serve their evil ends. She has been used just like a machine for procreation. It has also been mentioned in Hindu Shastras that the woman is the slave of her father when she is young, of her husband when she is middle-aged and of her son when she is a mother. Of course, all the epigrams, aphorisms, proverbs, platitudes and truisms bear necked truth about the stature of women in India.
But, efforts have been made in the past to bring dignity to women. In the Rig Vedic period, women enjoyed very pious status, they were no less than their men counterparts. But later on, when Brahmanical order or era was established, the condition of women degraded and became pathetic. But, the medieval time in Europe, Christianity inaugurated the Era of equality, liberty and fraternity by preaching that a prince and pauper are equal in the eyes of God. There is also a very long tradition of social reforms by our saints and other social reformers. But, the proprietors of orthodoxy thwarted these efforts. In the absence of any legal sanction or authority, these efforts could not sustain for long.
After independence, the sheers and our constitution makers made comprehensive efforts to ensure the rights of women and prohibit their exploitation in all its forms. The reforms introduced by Dr. Ambedkar through "Hindu Code-bill" have been adhered to and have been accepted by and large. He, by codifying Hindu Law in respect of marriage, divorce and succession, rationalised and restored the dignity of women. Prior to the Hindu Succession Act, 1956 and Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, the Hindu Law was unmodified in large measures. Though, Hindu Women's Right to Property Act, 1937, was the subject of legislative intervention.; The Sharda Act is also worth mentioning. It has set the seal of authority upon that piece of social reforms, which the heads of orthodoxy were imposing and impending.
In Hindu Code Bill, the principles of codification covered:
(i)           Right to property,
(ii)           Order of succession to property,
(iii)    Maintenance, marriage, divorce, adoption, minority and guardianship.
Needless to say, the Bill was a part of social engineering via law. It was by any standard of any time a revolutionary measure. It was really a first step towards the recognition and empowerment of women in Modern India. 
The Government of India had made Empowerment of Women as one of the principal objectives of the Ninth Five Year Plan (1997-2002) and also declared 2001 as the year of ‘Women's Empowerment’. These issues of gender equality are discussed in World Conferences, National and International Conferences, etc. Our Constitution has conferred and guaranteed equality before law, universal adult franchise and equal opportunities for men and women as fundamental rights. The imperative of gender partnership in matters of development has been recognised. In order to give a fillip to empowerment of women and appropriate institutional mechanisms and interventions have been consciously built into the development design. Separate institutions for women and child development, departments at the Central and State levels, creation of the National Commission for Women and also State Commission for Women in several States are some of the important developments for the betterment and prosperity of women. The launching of Rashtriya Mahila Kosh, Indira Mahila Yojana, Mahila Samridhi Yojana, reserving of one third of the number of seats in Panchayats and the local bodies are programmes launched with a view to improve and empower women socially, economically and on political frontiers.

Some indicators reflecting the status of Indian women:

Sex Ratio:
Sex ratio, (i.e.) the number of female per thousand males - is a significant indicator of the status of women. The ratio as shown below reflects a continuous decline except in 2001.  The following table depicts the sex ratio in all over India.
Table -2: Sex Ratio in All-India (Women per thousand Men)
Year           No. Of Women per thousand Men
1951               946
1961              941
1971               930
1981               934
1991               927
2001               933
Source:  Govt. of India cencus-2001

Life Expectancy At Birth:

Life expectancy at birth tends to be a good summary measure of women's health status. Normally, women outlive men. In countries with high income, women on an average live longer by six years than men. In countries with lower income, they live only two years longer. The life expectancy at birth for women has shown a steady rise in the Country, from 39.74 years in 1961 to 66.9 years in 2001-06 reflecting the achievements made in the health sector.

Literacy rate

Education is a potent remedy for most of the ills of the society. Education is the main instrument for transformation in any society. The economic and social returns to education for women are substantial. By educating its women, a country can reduce poverty, improve productivity, ease population pressure and offer its children a better future. A ’package approach’  is required for developing female education. There is a wide disparity between male and female literacy rates. As per 2001 Census, the literacy rate was 55 per cent and 75 per cent for females and males respectively in the Country. There also exists a rural-urban gender divide in literacy rate across the Country. This indicates that specific intervention may be required for developing the literacy rates of the female population especially (less privileged classes) in rural areas.

Employment and Work Participation Rate:

The work participation rate indicates to a great extent the economic empowerment of women in the society. The status of women is intimately connected with their economic position, which in turn depends on opportunities for participation in economic activities. Education along with participation of women in workforce has been universally recognised as an important element in the adoption of small family norms, which is essential for family planning. There has been a considerable improvement in the entry of women in all sectors of employment in the country. 

Women and Political Participation:

Political equality to all children regardless of birth, sex, colour, etc. is one of the basic premises of democracy. Political equality includes not only equal right to franchise but also more importantly, the right to access to the institutionalised centres of power. Thus, political participation of women means not only using the right to vote but also power sharing, co-decision making and co-policy making at all levels. The active participation of women in political sphere is integral to empowerment of women and helps to build a gender-equal society as well as to speed up the process of national development. Women’s political empowerment is premised on three fundamental and non-negotiable principles: (a) the equality between women and men; (b) women’s right to the full development of their potentials; and (c) women’s right to self-representation and self-determination. In PRI, women are increasingly coming to the fore and are providing leadership at the grass root level. This has profound social implications which gives a long way in addressing gender related discrimination in development.

Table -5: Gender Disparity Index: Major States
States                 1981                 1991
Value         Rank         Value         Rank
Andhra Pradesh     0.744         2         0.801         3
Assam            0.462         14         0.575         12
Bihar             0.471         13         0.469         14
Gujarat         0.723         4         0.714         6
Haryana         0.526         12         0.714         6
Karnataka         0.707         6         0.753         5
Kerala        0.872         1         0.825         1
Madhya Pradesh    0.664         8         0.662         9
Maharashtra     0.740         3         0.793         4
Orissa             0.547         11         0.639         10
Punjab         0.688         7         0.710         7
Rajasthan         0.650         9         0.692         8
Tamil Nadu         0.710         5         0.813         2
Uttar Pradesh     0.447         15         0.520         13
West Bengal         0.556         10         0.631         11
All India         0.620        - - -         0.676     - - -
Source: National Human Development Report, 2001.

Steps taken by the Government of India so far:

Education of Women:
Education to women is the most powerful instrument of changing their position in the society. Education also brings about reduction in inequalities and also acts as a means to improve their status within the family. In order to encourage education of women at all levels and to dilute gender bias in the provision and acquaintance of education, schools, colleges and even universities were established exclusively for women in the country. To bring more girl children, especially from marginalised BPL families, into the mainstream of education, Government has been providing a package of concessions in the form of free supply of books, uniform, boarding and lodging, clothing for hostilities, mid-day meals, scholarships, free by-cycles and so on. Many universities such as Mother Teresa Women University have been established for the development of Women Studies and to encourage higher education among women and their social mobility.

Self Help Groups:
Self Help Groups are small homogenous groups consisting of 12-20 women from BPL families voluntarily organised to promote savings. They are self-managed groups of poor women which primarily came into existence to mobilise financial resources through their own savings and lend the same amongst themselves to meet the credit needs of their members. The specific objectives of SHGs are to:
_ Improve saving habits among women;
_ Increase the total family income;
_ Fulfill the economic needs through self-employment of women;
_ Utilise bank loan and government welfare schemes;
_ Help the members to escape from the clutches of moneylenders; and
_ Mobilise financial resources.
The SHG movement has emerged as a powerful and vibrant movement spread over the length and breadth of the country.

Capacity Building and Skill formation:
In order to improve the entrepreneurial ability and skill of the women, Government has been imparting various types of training designed to promote self and wage employment.
Skill Up-gradation Training Programme:
Provision of skill training to women in SHG has been given recognition so as to enable them to start their own income-generating activities. The duration of the training and the cost depends on the nature of the trade selected by the members.

Women & Child Development
Women’s empowerment is an important agenda in the development efforts. There has been significant shift in approach of the district administration towards the development of women, especially the poor & the illiterate.
Working Women’s hostel
To provide secured accommodation to the working women, Working Women’s Hostel has been established at Angul  & functioning since 1996.
State Old Age Pension (SOAP)/ National Old Age Pension (NOAP)
Pension is provided under State Old Age Pension Scheme (SOAP) @ Rs. 100/- per beneficiary per month to the old and destitute persons of 60 years of age and above, leprosy patients and destitute widows irrespective of age whose annual income does not exceed Rs. 3200/-.  17664 beneficiaries including 8526 number of women are covered under the scheme .
Under National Old Age Pension (NOAP),  monthly pension of Rs.100/- is provided to    8570 beneficiaries   including 3679 women . The scheme is meant for old & destitute persons of 65 years of age & above.
Mission Shakti
This scheme was launched in the country on 3rd May 2001. The mission aims at empowering women through formation and promotion of   women’s Self Help Groups. 2184 Self Help Groups have been formed with 24235 members. These women self-help groups are engaged in different types of economic activities such as horticulture, piggery, goatery, dairy, etc. The banks also provide institutional credit to the SHGs to take up various income-generating activities. More than 800 SHGs have availed institutional credit  during the last two years . NABARD is playing a promotional role in this regard. Organisation of women as SHGs have also brought a silent revolution in the rural areas. These groups are taking up social issues like dowry prohibition, illicit liquor trade etc.
Integrated Child Development Scheme (I.C.D.S)
ICDS projects are being implemented in various blocks and districts. The target group under this programme consists of children in the age group of 0-6 years, expectant and nursing mothers in the age group of 15-45 years belonging to families below the poverty line. The scheme provides a package of services covering supplementary nutrition, immunisation, pre-school education, health check-up, referral services   and health education for adolescent girls.
National Maternity Benefit Scheme
National Maternity benefit scheme was launched w.e.f. 15thAug,1995. It is  a central scheme & targeted towards pregnant women belonging to BPL families.  It aims at bringing improvement in their health and nutrition status during the pregnancy period. Assistance under the scheme is restricted for first two live births only. An assistance of Rs.500 is provided to the pregnant woman, 8 to 12 weeks prior to delivery.  The CDPO is the sanctioning authority of this assistance in ICDS Blocks & BDO is the sanctioning authority in respect of non ICDS Blocks.            
Pre-natal Diagnostic Technique (Regulation & Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1994
The objective of this Act is to prevent female foeticide. The institutions like Genetic Counselling Centres, Genetic Laboratories, Genetic Clinics or any combination thereof and any other body using ultrasound machine   come under the purview of the Act. The CDMO is the Appropriate Authority to prevent violation & misuse of  the provisions of the  Act.
In spite of all of these, many larger issues and concerns remain untouched and unanswered as if now. Questions such as what sort of empowerment our women needed prior to restarting their equal property rights? There are a lot of nodal agencies including the National Commission for Women who are working for the welfare of the women apart from governmental efforts. Where have they reached in this direction? Apart from a small number of urban and sub-urban women, the Indian women still crave for justice in small matters. With their age, no bar, they have been raped, kicked, killed, subdued & humiliated almost daily. Why? Because of our indifferent attitude towards them. This indifferent attitude and approach of ours crops up at the time of the birth of female child. They are subjected to be rebuked and ignored so far as their education and other facilities are concerned, which are required for their proper and healthy growth/development. Besides, people give preference to male child over female child. It is due to this attitude of ours that we have suppressed the fair sex and have been unfair towards it.
People blindly argue that we should not take inspiration from European culture. Why the dress issues are uncontroversial in their culture? The reason is women there enjoy equal status with men. This, however, does not mean that they are not victims of violence but at least they are not victims of a parochial society. They don’t suffer the problems of illegitimate child, remarriage issues, colour bias etc. but our society never accepts a raped women. No one wants her to be a part of the family. A divorcee faces problems in remarriage. Every Indian male wants a fresh piece. The daughter-in-law should be fair, beautiful, educated etc. Why these bars are raised for women not for men? This is the basic reason why women in our country do not speak for themselves or the womanhood in general. She knows that if she fights for justice, for her status in society, then this society will reject her. “Koi bhi nari agar apni izzat ki baat kare to kya hum use izaatdaar manege?”
To my surprise, many people advocate to change the dress of women but does someone have the courage to speak for changing this orthodox thinking of our society. This orthodox thinking is just a part of the provincial approach of a male-dominant society.
The discrimination against women is deeply rooted in our society. Women are discriminated not only for dowry or marriage or only in rural areas. But, look around and you will find women being discriminated each and every second everywhere. In a family, you will find children enjoying easy liberty from mothers rather than father. Brothers can easily command sisters, but a sister can’t command her brothers. A girl is asked to be “Sushil”,” Sabhya”. Why aren’t the guys asked to behave that ways? Isn’t it obnoxious. Right from the childhood, males are fed with male ego. They enjoy a higher status in the family than their female siblings. The discrimination against women starts since an early age. They are brought up with it.
And, the worst thing is that even the women feed themselves with thoughts of weakness, which they will have to change. If men consider themselves superior, even women regard themselves as inferior. Untill and unless they come out of it, it will be difficult to solve this problem. Besides, the government should also make provisions under the law for the welfare of the women and also make them aware of their rights.
And, I feel these provisions even though misused at times are for the betterment and evolution of society. Another issue, which was raised over the misuse of provisions was that women take advantage of these powers provided in provisions. My question is why are women asked to be tolerant? Why can’t the men act tolerantly. Why is it the duty of women to be patient? She too is a human being. She too has emotions. If we assume that men are more tolerant than womenthen what do these figures suggest? As per police records, most of the murders happen due to intolerance and 80% of murder cases involve men.
I think intolerance is a basic human problem rather than a gender problem. And, just to ask women to act tolerantly because she is more wise than men is unjust. Talking about equality on an impartial note. Women are like roses. If you treat them harshly breaking their petals apart thereby spoiling her beauty you will regret it. If you keep them nicely, they will sprinkle essence in your garden. Don’t let her beauty be the reason for her slavery. I hope that the Acts enacted for women empowerment will act as thorns with roses thus protecting her.
As an active & aware individual and a responsible citizen, first of all we should treat our female child at par with our male ones and restore equality amongst them. No restoration of property right would be meaningful without making her mentally strong. We must allow them to think, breathe and act independently and bring her out of the shackles of slavery. Do not impose the filthy rites, rituals and superstition citing the examples from our outdated Shastras. Don't treat women as your slave or servant who has come to this world just to cook your food, wash your dirty clothes, and fulfill your other desires. Please mind it that they are your mothers, sisters, wives (Life partners). If we are able to mend our ways, the restoration of their property rights to them would be meaningful.
Let us honestly diagnose the illness by taking into consideration all the aspects and aspirations in the changed scenario, circumstances and atmosphere. Only then, we could have a perfect planning to achieve our cherished aim that is empowerment of Indian women and could be able to restore their property and other rights in order to bring her at par men.