Source: Sarkar, R. (2015). Women empowerment through education is a mechanism of national

development: Confronting issues, existing measures and possible solutions in Indian context. In Sharma,

G. (Eds.), Women empowerment in India: Opportunities and challenges (p. 385-404). Kolkata:

New Kali Press. (ISBN: 978-93-81669-88-4).

Women Empowerment through Education is a Mechanism of National Development:

Confronting Issues, Existing Measures and Possible Solutions

in Indian Context

RATAN SARKAR

Research Scholar

Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University,

Faculty of Disability Management and Special Education, E-mail ID:ratansarkarju@gmail.com,

Mobile No.: 08012895837 ...............................……………………………………………………………………………………………………….........................................................................

ABSTRACT

India is a multilingual and multicultural society with its rich and varied cultures and

idiosyncratic characteristics. However, at the same time, India is also known by the sobriquet

“male chauvinistic nation”. Women’s role, status and position in Indian society have not been

static throughout the ages but have actually ranged from what is mentioned to have been one of

freedom and a position of importance to the other extreme of considerable subservience. A

variety of initiatives have been undertaken over the years by the Government of India in order to

empower women socially, economically, culturally, educationally and politically irrespective of

age, caste, class or race, religion, demographic arena, and disabilities so that they can

participate actively in the process of their development, lead a life of dignity and respect, and

contribute to the holistic development of nation. However, the enactment of legislations have

been difficult to implement due to the vastness of the country, the wide distribution of the female

workforce, lack of education and literacy, politics, and the uncaring attitude of government

bureaucracy. Women of India have nothing to say in shaping the economic, cultural, and

political space in which they live. On the other hand, women’s thoughts and visions, intuitive

skills, concrete and effective participation in national development is undeniable. Their deep

aspiration for a more peaceful world will help catalyze the will for the transformation of systems

and structures into pathways of equality, integrity, justice, development and peace. Now the

question arises what is the way out to actualize the notion of women empowerment in order to

achieve the holistic development of the nation? The answer is education. Women literacy plays

an extremely important and vital role in the development of nation (Barman, A. & Saurikhia, A.,

2011). It empowers women by helping them achieve their basic human rights- a spiral of power

in their lives, grounded in education. But beyond their attainment of individual rights, women’s

education has also proven to be a remarkably effective catalyst for their empowerment ranging

from health, self-defense, political participation, leadership, entrepreneurship, to democracy and

governance and employment opportunities. The present thematic paper throws light on

education as a mechanism of women empowerment. It also aims at bringing forth the

confronting issues, existing measures and possible solutions of women empowerment in Indian

context.

**Keywords: Women Empowerment, Education, Confronting Issues, Existing Measures, and

Possible Solutions.

“Where women are respected, there gods delight; and where they are not, there all works and

efforts come to naught.” – Manu

“The best thermometer to the progress of a nation is its treatment to its women.”

Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902)

Introduction

As per the latest Census in the year 2011, the total female sex ratio in India is 940 per 1000

males. The census- 2011 also indicated a 2001-2011 decadal literacy growth of 9.2%, which is

slower than the growth seen during the previous decade. There is a wide gender disparity in the

literacy rate in India: effective literacy rates (age 7 and above) in 2011 were 82.14% for men

and 65.46% for women. Women are key components in many areas like family, society and a

nation. So, positive impact on women ultimately brings positive impact toward their life and

culture. Nation is nothing but the combination of male and female and their thoughts. In a

country like India where women cover nearly half of the population, no real development is

possible neglecting women. Therefore, it is evident that to ignore women‟s role is to harm not

just women but the entire communities and a nation because women, after all are half of the

human race. To alleviate marginalization in all the aspects of life and bring a radical change in

the life of women, female literacy must be emphasized. Education is the creative and smartest

platform for women which can guarantee the positive changes in the life of especially illiterate,

unskilled, disabled, and uninformed women. Education gives women entrance to the world‟s

enormous store of knowledge. The procedure of learning develops thought capacity and

enhances creativeness, awakens women to the value of their own humanity and enables them to

strive for distinction denied by patriarchal cultural norms and backwards traditions. When

women become aware and empowered of their rights and position, the remaining half part of the

sky according to population will also be clear which ultimately brings positive effect to every

sectors of a nation.

Empowerment of Women- Conceptual Framework

The concept of empowerment was originated during the „Civil Rights Movement‟ in the USA in

1960. The word “empowerment” is one, which is widely used but seldom defined. It is an active,

multi dimensional process which encompasses several multi reinforcing components that begin

with and supported by economic independence. Power is the key word of the term

empowerment. According to the International Encyclopedia (1999, p.33), “Power means having

the capacity and the means to direct one‟s life towards desired, social, political, and economic

goals or status. Power means control over material assets, intellectual resources and ideology.”

Webster‟s New World Dictionary (1982) says, “The prefix „Em‟ which attached to the noun

„power‟ is generally used to form verbs meaning to make, make in to etc.” So the word

„empower‟ means to make or cause power.

Empowerment - Theoretical Framework

It can also be defined as a largely individual process of taking control of and responsibility for

one‟s life and situation or as a political process of granting human rights and social justice to

disadvantaged groups of people. At the former end of the continuum, where empowerment is

defined largely as an individual process, empowerment can be used in the conservative political

rhetoric of freeing the government of responsibility for injustices and for granting social security.

Instead, the argument makes individuals and communities responsible for their own social

security and welfare, without providing the necessary support and resources. The empowerment

of women is located within the discourse and agenda of gender equality. In a clear term

empowerment of women refers to the “Empowerment and advancement of women, including the

right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief, thus contributing to the moral,

ethical, spiritual and intellectual needs of women and men, individually or in community with

others and thereby guaranteeing them the possibility of realizing their full potential in society

and shaping their lives in accordance with their own aspirations (The Fourth World Conference

on Women in Beijing, 1995).” Therefore, women must be empowered in order to make them

strong and capable enough to take up new challenges for the building up of the family, society

and the nation. Infact women empowerment is human empowerment itself.

Macro and Micro Indicators of Empowerment There are a variety of ways in which indicators of empowerment can be developed. Each have

some value, but none can be taken as complete or absolute measure, because the nature of

empowerment as a multi-faceted concept means that it is not readily quantifiable. To understand

empowerment it is helpful to divide indicators of empowerment into two categories: those which

attempt to measure women‟s empowerment at a broad societal level, in order to gain information

and make comparisons between countries (GEM, GDI), and those which are developed in order

to measure the effects of specific projects or programmes or catalytic factors (education,

employment etc.) requiring a micro approach involving women themselves as agents of change.

Measuring Gender Empowerment Index or Gender-related Development Index (GEI/GDI)

Dimension Political

participation and

decision making

Economic Participation and Decision-Making Power over

economic

resources

Indicator Female & Male

shares in

parliamentary seats

Female & Male shares

of positions as

legislators, senior

officials and managers

Female & male

shares of

professional and

technical positions

Female and male

estimated earned

income

Equality

Distributed

Equivalence

% (EDEP)

EDEP for

parliamentary

representation

EDEP for

economic

participation

EDEP for

income

Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM)

Several efforts have been taken to depict the micro indicators of empowerment. However,

according to Naila Kabeer, Linda Mayoux, Anne Marie Goetz, Rahman, Ackerley, JSI (John

Show International researchers), Sara Longwe and Hashmi the micro indicators of empowerment

are provided below:

JSI Six Domains of Empowerment

Domain Expressions

1. Sense of Self & vision

of a future

Assertiveness, plans for the future, future-oriented actions,

relative freedom from threat of physical violence, awareness of

own problems and options, actions indicating sense of security.

2. Mobility & visibility Activities outside of the home, relative freedom from harassment

in public spaces, interaction with men.

3. Economic Security Property ownership, new skills and knowledge and increased

income, engaged in new/non-traditional types of work

4. Status & decision-

making power within

the household

Self-confidence, controlling spending money, enhanced status in

the family, has/controls/spends money, participation in/makes

decisions on allocation of resources, not dominated by others

5. Ability to interact

effectively in the public

sphere

Awareness of legal status and services available, ability to get

access to social services, political awareness, participation in

credit program, provider of service in community.

6. Participation on non-

family groups

Identified as a person outside of the family, forum for creating

sense of solidarity with other women, self-expression and

articulation of problems, participating in a group with

autonomous structure.

(Source: John Show International researchers)

Importance of Women Empowerment

Human development encompasses elements that contribute critical issues of gender and

development. The dignity and culture of a society can be detected from the status of women in

that society. According to Rameshwari Pandya (2008), “Empowerment has become the key

solution to many social problems. Empowerment of women is empowerment of

family/household and in turn development of a nation of a country. Empowerment of women

leads to benefit not only to the individual woman and to women groups, but also to the families

and community as a whole through collective action for development, (2008, p.5).”

Purpose of Women Empowerment

Women must define their own needs and goals as well as strategies. A pre- requisite for

women‟s participation in development process is their empowerment. Women must exercise full

participation in decision making process in all walks of life and fully participate with men in

finding equitable and practical solution to issues both in the family and society. It also declared

that human rights of women and girl child are inalienable, integral and invisible parts of

universal human Rights. In her message to mark the First day of the “Year of Empowerment of

Women”, the national commission for women chairperson, Vibha Partha Sarathi said, “The year

to come must see women in apex decision making bodies, enter profession denied to them so far,

recognize their contribution on important and legitimate and help them to fight against disease

and deprivation, indignity and inequity.”

Historical Perspective of Women’s Education in India

In the Vedic period women had the opportunity to access to education in India. At the passage of

time they lost this right. In the British period initiatives were taken to promote education among

women. During this period, numbers of social, religious movements led by eminent persons like

Raja Ram Mohan Roy (1772-1833), Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar (1820- 1891) emphasized on

women‟s education in India. Numbers of social reformers from the lower section of society

namely Mahatma Jyotirao Govindrao Phule (1827- 1890), Periyar (1879-1973), and Dr. Bhimrao

Ramji Ambedkar (1891-1956), had taken many initiatives towards making education available to

the women of India. Women‟s education got a plight after the independence of India in 1947.

Various new steps have been taken by Government of India to provide education among all

without any discrimination on the ground of gender, castes, creeds, color, religions, and

demographic arena. As a result the rate of women‟s education got increased. But still in India

there is an extreme disparity in the literacy ratio between male and female. Female literacy rate is

remarkable low in comparison to male literacy rate in India as per the latest census-2011.

Empowerment through Education is a Mechanism of National Development

The unique power of education to act as a catalyst for wider development diverse goals can only

be fully realized, however, if it is equitable. Women must fully benefit from educational

opportunities if they have to enjoy the empowerment benefits that come with it. Education for

women and girls has varied benefits towards their empowerment ranging from health, self-

defense, political participation, leadership, entrepreneurship, to democracy and governance and

employment opportunities. Education empowers women in several perspectives. Some of the

perspectives include;

Education of Women Helps Decrease Population Explosion: Educated women are well

aware about family planning, employment, schooling, and health opportunities for her future

generations and tent to have lesser number of babies. A 2000 study in Brazil found that

literate women had an average of 2.5 children while illiterate women had an average of six

children (UNESCO, 2000). Adam Isen and Betsey Stevenson from The Wharton School of

the University of Pennsylvania have written that greater “access to education and higher

potential wages, combined with improved control over fertility, has altered the incentives

that women face”. The stark decline in fertility rates gives rise to more sustainable family

units, and this lesser amount of children in a society allowed for more resources to be

allocated to each individual child.

Education Simultaneously Boosts Economic Growth for Women and Girls and Nation:

Education not only helps the poorest and marginalized women and girls to escape poverty

by developing the skills they need to improve their livelihoods, but also generates

productivity gains that boost economic growth of the nation substantially (World Bank).

Girl‟s education eradicates poverty and fosters economic growth. According to Center of

Global Development Girls who have one extra year of schooling than the national

average can earn 10 percent to 20 percent more on average, with an 18 percent return in

future wages if they have completed a secondary education. This is significantly higher than

the 14 percent return in future wages for boys in developing regions. Furthermore, each

extra year of schooling provided to the whole population (females included) can increase

average annual GDP growth by 0.37 percent (Global Campaign for Education).

Education and Health Issues of Women: There exists a consistent negative causal

relationship between maternal education and child mortality; as the amount of educated

women in a society increases, the amount of infant deaths decreases. Women with formal

education will have learned about the importance of prenatal care, hygienic child care

practices, vaccinations and high-level nutrition for themselves and their children. An

education will provide these women with ideas of where to turn to for health care advice and

medical treatment. In Sub-Saharan Africa, a projected 1.8 million children's lives could have

been saved in 2008 if their mothers had a secondary education (UNESCO). In addition,

Girls with at least six years of school education are more likely to be able to protect

themselves from HIV/AIDS and other diseases (UNICEF). An additional four years of

education will reduce the risk of heart disease by 2.16 percent, and the risk of diabetes by

1.3 percent, for either gender (The Organization for Economic Cooperation and

Development).

Education is Vital to Eliminate Malnutrition in the Long Term: Malnutrition is the

underlying cause of more than a third of global child deaths. Educated mothers are more

likely to ensure that their children receive the best nutrients to help them prevent or fight off

ill health, know more about appropriate health and hygiene practices, and have more power

in the home to make sure children‟s nutrition needs are met.

Women Education is a Catalyst for Gender Equality: Gender inequality is manifested in

myriad forms, including, but not limited to income disparities, wage discrimination, gender

roles assigned in the domestic sphere, female infanticide, and sexual subjugation. By

ensuring women‟s education, women will be given the chance to realize their full human

rights and contribute to the very fabric of our society, reaping the benefits of economic,

social and political development (US Agency for International Development). They will be

able to form the next generation of women leaders, and make groundbreaking strides toward

bridging the gender gap.

Women Education is Essential for Reducing the Number of Child Marriages: There is a

positive multiplier effect to educating girls and women. In Tanzania, women who received a

secondary school education are 92 percent less likely to be coerced into child and adolescent

marriage, compared to women who only received a primary school education (UNICEF).

Child marriage is a human rights violation, entailing grave consequences for girls, including

an increased risk of HIV/AIDS coupled with higher levels of domestic violence and

abuse (International Center for Research on Women). According to UNICEF, 47% of girls

are married by 18 years of age, and 18% are married by 15 years of age. Latest data suggests

that teen pregnancy in India is high with 62 pregnant teens out of every 1,000 women. A

United Nations study found that, “Education also helps to delay age at marriage and

increase age at first child birth, thereby reducing the fertility rate. Awareness of the cost of

children, increased knowledge of contraceptives, improved communication between

couples, and sense of control over one‟s life are also influenced by education, which in turn

leads to smaller and healthier families,” (United Nations, 2005).

Education Increases Involvement of Women in Political Process: Educated women are

more likely to participate in political discussions, meetings, and decision-making, which in

turn promote a more representative, effective government.

Education is Indispensable in Strengthening the Bonds that Hold Women in

Communities and Societies Together: Education helps women understand democracy,

promotes the tolerance and trust that underpin it, and motivates women to participate in

politics and claim for leadership positions.

Future Educated Generations: An African proverb says, “If we educate a boy, we educate

one person. If we educate a girl, we educate a family – and a whole nation.” By sending a

girl to school, it is far more likely to ensure that her children also receive an education. As

many claim, investing in a girl‟s education is investing in a nation and empowering a

women or girls intrinsically is empowering a nation.

Education of Women Decreases Domestic & Sexual Violence: Educated girls and women

are less likely to be victims of domestic and sexual violence or to tolerate it in their families.

Education of Women Plays a Vital Role in Decreasing Support for Militancy: As

women become more educated, they are less likely to support militancy and terrorism than

similarly educated men.

Improve Societal Growth: Educated women have a greater chance of escaping poverty,

leading healthier and more productive lives, and raising the standard of living for their

children, families, and communities.

Major Confronting Issues of Women Empowerment in India

There are several confronting issues of women empowerment in India. These are as follows -

1. Heavy workload on the women.

2. Emphasizing on Patriarchal role model.

3. Negative and sensational coverage of media.

4. Attitudinal barriers of society towards women.

5. Illiteracy and isolation of women from each others.

6. Less number of women‟s organization for providing support services.

7. Lack of feminist leadership in framing schemes, acts, policies and legislations for women

and girls.

8. Traditional views which limit women‟s participation in market-employment, cultural,

political, and administrative issues.

9. Incompetent laws and amendments as the fundamental problems lie in the attitude of the

society which is highly biased against women.

10. Failure to develop the qualities of inferiority, subservience and domesticity among the girl

child especially in rural, tribal and poor families for her education and development.

11. The lower enrolment of girls in schools and playing the role of second mother by

shouldering the responsibilities of household work such as looking after the siblings are

major confronting issues of women empowerment in India.

Government Initiatives for Women Empowerment: Existing Measures

The principle of gender equality is enshrined in the Indian Constitution in its Preamble,

Fundamental Rights, Fundamental Duties and Directive Principles. The Constitution not only

grants equality to women, but also empowers the State to adopt measures of positive

discrimination in favour of women. Within the framework of a democratic polity, laws,

development policies, plans and programmes have aimed at women‟s empowerment and

advancement in different spheres. India has also ratified various international conventions and

human rights instruments committing to secure equal rights of women. Key among them is the

ratification of the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women

(CEDAW) in 1993.

Constitutional Provisions The Constitution of India not only grants equality to women but also empowers the State to

adopt measures of positive discrimination in favour of women for neutralizing the cumulative

socio-economic, education and political disadvantages faced by them. Fundamental Rights,

among others, ensure equality before the law and equal protection of law; prohibits

discrimination against any citizen on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth, and

guarantee equality of opportunity to all citizens in matters relating to employment. Articles 14,

15, 15(3), 16, 39(a), 39(b), 39(c) and 42 of the Constitution are of specific importance in this

regard.

Constitutional Privileges:

a) Equality before law for women (Article 14).

b) The State not to discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, race, caste,

sex, place of birth or any of them (Article 15 (i)).

c) The State to make any special provision in favour of women and children (Article 15

(3)).

d) Equality of opportunity for all citizens in matters relating to employment or appointment

to any office under the State (Article 16).

e) The State to direct its policy towards securing for men and women equally the right to

an adequate means of livelihood (Article 39 (a)); and equal pay for equal work for both

men and women (Article 39 (d)).

f) To promote justice, on a basis of equal opportunity and to provide free legal aid by

suitable legislation or scheme or in any other way to ensure that opportunities for

securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reason of economic or other disabilities

(Article 39 A).

g) The State to make provision for securing just and humane conditions of work and for

maternity relief (Article 42).

h) The State to promote with special care the educational and economic interests of the

weaker sections of the people and to protect them from social injustice and all forms of

exploitation (Article 46).

i) The State to raise the level of nutrition and the standard of living of its people (Article

47).

j) To promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of

India and to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women (Article 51(A) (e)).

k) Not less than one-third (including the number of seats reserved for women belonging to

the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes) of the total number of seats to be filled

by direct election in every Panchayat to be reserved for women and such seats to be

allotted by rotation to different constituencies in a Panchayat (Article 243 D(3)).

l) Not less than one- third of the total number of offices of Chairpersons in the Panchayats

at each level to be reserved for women (Article 243 D (4)).

m) Not less than one-third (including the number of seats reserved for women belonging to

the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes) of the total number of seats to be filled

by direct election in every Municipality to be reserved for women and such seats to be

allotted by rotation to different constituencies in a Municipality (Article 243 T (3)).

n) Reservation of offices of Chairpersons in Municipalities for the Scheduled Castes, the

Scheduled Tribes and women in such manner as the legislature of a State may by law

provide (Article 243 T (4)).

Legal Provisions

To uphold the Constitutional mandate, the State has enacted various legislative measures

intended to ensure equal rights, to counter social discrimination and various forms of violence

and atrocities and to provide support services especially to working women. Although women

may be victims of any of the crimes such as Murder, Robbery, Cheating, Female Foeticide, Early

Marriage, Child Marriage, Trafficking and Prostitution, Domestic Violence, Forced Moral

Policing, Eve Teasing, Abduction, Rape, Defamation, Molestation and Outraging Dignity, Witch

Branding, Adultery, Fraudulent Marriage, Social Customs Masked Crimes, Forced Abortion/

Forced Pregnancy, and forced/ Fraudulent Organ Extraction/ Surrogacy , etc., the crimes, which

are directed specifically against women, are characterized as 'Crime against Women'. These are

broadly classified under two categories.

I. The Crimes Identified under The Indian Penal Code (IPC)

1. Rape (Sec. 376 IPC).

2. Kidnapping & Abduction for different purposes (Sec. 363-373).

3. Homicide for Dowry, Dowry Deaths or their attempts (Sec. 302/304-B IPC).

4. Torture, both mental and physical (Sec. 498-A IPC).

5. Molestation (Sec. 354 IPC).

6. Importation of girls (up to 21 years of age).

7. Sexual harassment (Sec. 509 IPC).

II. The Crimes Identified under the Special Laws (SLL)

Although all laws are not gender specific, the provisions of law affecting women significantly

have been reviewed periodically and amendments carried out to keep pace with the emerging

requirements. Some acts which have special provisions to safeguard women and their interests

are:

a. The Employees State Insurance Act, 1948.

b. The Plantation Labour Act, 1951.

c. The Family Courts Act, 1954.

d. The Special Marriage Act, 1954.

e. The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955.

f. The Hindu Succession Act, 1956 with Amendment in 2005.

g. Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956.

h. The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 (Amended in 1995).

i. Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961.

j. The Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971.

k. The Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1976.

l. The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976.

m. The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.

n. The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 1983.

o. The Factories (Amendment) Act, 1986.

p. Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986.

q. Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act, 1987.

r. The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005.

Special Initiatives for Women

1) National Commission for Women (1992): In January 1992, the Government set-up

this statutory body with a specific mandate to study and monitor all matters relating

to the constitutional and legal safeguards provided for women, review the existing

legislation to suggest amendments wherever necessary, etc.

2) Reservation for Women in Local Self- Government (1992): The 73rd

Constitutional Amendment Acts passed in 1992 by Parliament ensure one-third of

the total seats for women in all elected offices in local bodies whether in rural areas

or urban areas.

3) The National Plan of Action for the Girl Child (1991-2000): The plan of Action is

to ensure survival, protection and development of the girl child with the ultimate

objective of building up a better future for the girl child.

4) National Policy for the Empowerment of Women (2001): The Department of

Women & Child Development in the Ministry of Human Resource Development has

prepared a “National Policy for the Empowerment of Women” in the year 2001. The

goal of this policy is to bring about the advancement, development and

empowerment of women.

Government Policies, Schemes and Programmes

The following schemes at present are aiming at women empowerment and gender equality in

India:

a) Swadhar.

b) Ujjawala.

c) Dhanalakshmi.

d) Rashtriya Mahila Kosh.

e) Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS).

f) Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS).

g) Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG).

h) The Rajiv Gandhi National Crèche Scheme for Children of Working Mothers

(RGNCS).

i) Support to Training and Employment Programme for Women (STEP).

j) National Mission for Empowerment of Women (NMEW).

k) Rajiv Gandhi Mahila Vikas Pariyojana (RGMVP).

l) Priyadarshini Project - A programme for Rural Women Empowerment and

Livelihood in Mid Gangetic Plains.

m) NABARD- KFW-SEWA (Support to Training & Employment Programme) Bank

Project.

Possible Solutions to Make Women Empowerment

Women empowerment through education is ideally seen as a continuous holistic process with

cognitive, psychological, economic and political dimensions in order to achieve emancipation.

There is intricacy in political, social, religious, cultural, ethical, moral, administrational,

institutional, and demographical aspects as well as in inter-state, national and international

interrelations in India. Therefore, one has to systematically think about the strategies and

concrete proposals for future action if one hopes to achieve such a goal. A set of strategies on

education, research/ documentation, campaigns, networking, influencing acts, legislations,

policies, schemes, training and media has to be developed. However, In addition to the above

issues and exiting provisions the following solutions are proposed for helping women achieve

empowerment in all aspect of their life which in turn can ensure holistic development of the

individual as well as of the nation:

1. Steps should be taken to improve the health status of women, reduce maternal mortality

especially in the areas which do not have good medical facilities.

2. Awareness programmes, workshops, seminar, and street drama etc., need to be organized

for creating awareness among women; especially belonging to weaker sections about their

rights.

3. Strict implementation of programs and acts should be there to curb the mal-practices

prevalent in the society.

4. The Ministry of Education both at Centre and State level should work out strategic steps to

stop firmly the ongoing high drop outs among girls especially in rural areas to realize zero

drop-out among girls.

5. Women should be allowed to work and should be provided enough safety and support to

work.

6. Literature and publications are a major area through which the whole notion of women

empowerment can be inculcated to the society.

7. Ensure there is a stable team of gender-aware expertise, concurrent program budget for

girls‟ and women‟s education, and mentors to assist government managers in creating

gender-responsive planning, implementing and monitoring processes.

8. Arranging programmes for interaction with other empowered women in the society is

another important way of motivating women.

9. The institutions that are engaged in various fields of social work can start short term

diploma or certificate courses in areas of rural development with special emphasis on

projects for women‟s development.

10. Ensure a synergistic partnership between formal and non-formal education that features:

responsive internal and external communications; information feedback loops with all

delivery agents (public, private and civil society); multiple cross-over and entry points for

students; merit-linked recognition for advancing girls‟ and women‟s education.

11. Government should make sure that each official body has sufficient number of women

members.

12. Adopt participatory methods in formal and non-formal education. Develop a holistic

package for assisting teachers to gain the confident competence to sustain participatory

teaching: high-quality training, supervised practice teaching, mentoring, refresher training,

and achievement-based recognition.

13. Instigate methodical observation and evaluation of girls‟ and women‟s learning outcomes.

Monitoring and evaluation systems need to be considerably deepened to expose the needs,

successes and failures of girls and women‟s education. Provide the training and support

needed to women in gender-test roles (i.e. Village Education Committees) so they have

the tools to fully participate as change.

14. There should be an official body consisting of representatives of the government and

voluntary association, which can function as a coordinating agency.

Conclusion

The notion of empowering women has become one of the important concerns of twenty first

century not only in India but across the globe. Several efforts have been undertaken by

government of India to ensure gender equality and women empowerment. But the govt.

initiatives are not alone sufficient to achieve this goal. Society must march forward to create an

environment in which there is no disparity in utilizing various opportunities, inequality in

participation at all levels of decision-making, and getting social justice and human rights on the

ground of sex, caste, race, religion, age, place of birth, and disabilities. We must create a nation

where women have full participation in social, religious, economic, cultural, ethical, political,

and administrative aspects. Society must feel and realize that, “If you educate a man you educate

an individual, however, if you educate a woman you educate a whole family. Women

empowered means mother India empowered.” (Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, 1889 -1964).

References:

Book & Reports-

1. Anju, M., Schuler, S. R., and Boender, C. (2002). Measuring Women‟s Empowerment as a

variable in International Development. World Bank Social Development Group.

2. Barman, A. and Saurikhia, A. (2011). Education: A Potent Tool in Emancipation and

Empowerment of Indian Women. Special Issue of the International Journal of the Computer,

the Internet and Management, Volume- 19, Issue- 1, pp.31-34.

3. Bhuimali, A. (2004). Education, employment and empowering women. New Delhi: Serials

Publications.

4. Desai, M. (2010). Hope in hard times: Women‟s empowerment and human development.

United Nations Development Programme, Human Development Reports Research Paper

2010/14.

5. Dominic, B. and Jothi, C.A. (2012). Education- A tool of women empowerment: Historical

study based on Kerala society. International journal of scientific and research publications,

Volume -2, Issue- 4, pp. 1-5. ISSN 2250-3153.

6. Goswami, L. (2013). „Education for Women Empowerment‟. ABHIBYAKTI Annual

Journal, Volume-1, pp. 17-18.

7. Government of India, Census of India-2011.

8. Gupta, N.L. (2003). Women‟s education through ages. New Delhi: Concept Publications.

9. Kabeer, N. (1999). Resources, Agency Achievements: Reflections on the Measurement of

Women‟s Empowerment. Development and Change. Volume-30, Issue-3, pp. 435- 464.

10. Kandpal, E., Baylis, K., and Arends-kuenning, M. (2012). Empowering women through

education and influence: an evaluation of the Indian Mahila Samikhya Program. World Bank,

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and IZL. Discussion Paper No. 6347.

11. Kishor, S. and Gupta, k. (2009). Gender Equality and Women‟s Empowerment in India.

National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3), India, 2005-06. Mumbai: International Institute

for Population Sciences.

12. Lama, P. (2014). Women empowerment in India: Issues and challenges. International journal

of multidisciplinary approach and studies, Volume-1, Issue-6, pp.387-399. ISSN- 2348 -

537X.

13. Medel-Anonuevo, C. (1995). Women, education and empowerment: Pathways towards

autonomy. Report of the International Seminar held at UIE, Hamburg, 27th

January - 2nd

February, 1993. Germany: UNESCO Institute for Education 1995, ISBN- 92 820 1013 9.

14. Nachshen, J. S. (2004). Empowerment and families: Building bridges between parents and

professionals, theory and research. Journal of developmental disabilities, Volume-11, Issue-

1, pp. 65-76.

15. Rao, R.K. (2001). Women and education. New Delhi: Kalpaz Publications.

16. Shah, N. R. (2013). Literacy rate in India. International journal of research in all subjects in

multi languages, Volume-1, Issue-7, pp.12-16, ISSN- 2321-2853.

17. Subhashini, V. (2014). Education - A tool of women empowerment in India: A historical

perspective. Global journal for research and analysis (International), Volume- 3, Issue-8, pp.

1-3, ISSN-2277-8160.

18. Suguna, M. (2011). Education and women empowerment in India. International journal of

multidisciplinary research, Volume-1, Issue-8, pp.198-204, ISSN-2231-5780.

19. Suguna, M. (2011). Education and Women Empowerment in India. ZENITH - International

Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, Volume-1, Issue- 8, pp.19-21.

20. World Economic Forum. (2014).The global gender gap report - 2014.

Web-link:

21. http://www.voicesofyouth.org/en/posts/why-we-should-support-girls--4. 02.07.2015

22. http://www.empowerwomen.org/en/circles/openideasandquestionsaboutwomenseconomice

powerment/empoweringwomenthrougheducation?type=rss. 02.07.2015

23. http://lawmin.nic.in/coi/contents.htm.03.07.2015.

24. http://www.leadthecompetition.in/GK/Indian_Const-III.html.03.07.2015.

25. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/megan-foo/why-should-we-invest-in-

g_b_5668753.html?ir=India&adsSiteOverride=in.03.07.2015