WOMEN EMPOWERMENT AS A SOCIAL CHANGE
In basic terms, empowerment refers to granting power or authority to a person. The empowerment of women has been widely discussed and written about globally. Sociologist Dhruba Hazarika has accurately stated that empowering women involves enabling them to achieve economic independence and self-reliance, while also fostering positive self-esteem to confront challenging situations. Women should be sufficiently prepared to engage in any development process.
Women in Indian society have made significant progress from being revered as goddesses to facing molestation and harassment—horrific cases of domestic violence, acid attacks, and rapes. The National Crimes Records Bureau has thoroughly documented statistics on crimes against women under various categories like trafficking, dowry deaths, and rapes. These figures are shocking. It is crucial for all Indians to address these issues and enhance initiatives and laws that support women and girls.
Over the years, there has been a consistent increase in the challenges faced by Indian women and girls. Major issues that India confronts include poverty, lack of education, and concerns regarding health and safety.
While the Indian constitution provides specific constitutional and legal rights to women related to equality and fundamental rights, additional special provisions were created to enhance the effort of ensuring equal status for women. These special initiatives consist of:
1) Setting up a National Commission for Women: This is a legal organization that aims to
monitor and examine issues concerning the constitutional and legal protections for women;
assess current laws; and recommend changes. The government needs to
create specific measures for women in both legal and social areas.
2) A reservation of seats for women in local self-government by ensuring one-third of total
seats for women in both urban and rural areas.
3) The National Plan of Action for the Girl Child to ensure the survival, protection and development of girls
4) The National Policy for the Empowerment of Women, in which the goal is to bring about
the advancement and development of women empowerment all over India.
It is crucial to recognize the third goal of the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDG): “Promote gender equality and empower women.” India committed to the MDGs to lessen inequality. As per the Indian government’s report from 2009:
The involvement of women in jobs and decision-making is still much lower than that of men,and it is unlikely that this gap will close by 2015. Furthermore, the access for women in the labor market for industry and services has only slightly risen from 13-18 percent between 1990-1991 and 2004-2005.
It is essential for society to recognize the significance of equal rights for women. The Indian government has already launched programs like the Support to Training and Employment Program (STEP) to promote equal job opportunities for women. Initiatives such as the ‘Beti Bacho, Beti Padhao Yojana’ (Save girl child, educate girl child) aim to raise awareness and enhance welfare services for women in India. Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are actively working to empower women economically and socially through various programs. Many companies, as part of their corporate social responsibility, have also begun implementing women empowerment initiatives in both rural and urban settings.
The efforts made by the government, NGOs, and the corporate world focus on programs for women; however, we often overlook that this is a two-way street. It is vital to educate men and boys from a young age so they can play a key role in fostering women’s empowerment in Indian society. When men learn to respect women and view them as equals, many gender-based inequalities will significantly diminish. Therefore, the initiatives from both public and private sectors must be supported by gender sensitization efforts. A gradual transformation is now evident in contemporary India, particularly in major cities. Women are now pursuing various careers as doctors, engineers, entrepreneurs, pilots, taxi drivers, and police officers. They have secured jobs in areas that were once seen as male-dominated.
It is important for society to understand the value of equal rights for women. The Indian government has initiated programs like the Support to Training and Employment Program (STEP) to ensure equal job opportunities for women. Programs such as ‘Beti Bacho, Beti Padhao Yojana’ (Save girl child, educate girl child) work towards increasing awareness and improving welfare services for women in India. NGOs are continuously striving to enable both economic and social empowerment of women through various initiatives. Numerous companies, under their corporate social responsibility efforts, have also started women empowerment programs in rural and urban areas.
The initiatives by the government, NGOs, and the corporate sector are primarily focused on women; yet, we sometimes forget that this is a two-way street. It is crucial to educate men and boys early on, so they can contribute to the change in women’s empowerment in Indian society. When men begin to respect women and accept them as equals, many gender-based inequalities will significantly decrease. Thus, the work done by public and private sectors needs to be paired with gender sensitization initiatives. A slow change is now visible in modern India, especially in large cities. Women are now taking on various roles as doctors, engineers, entrepreneurs, pilots, taxi drivers, and police officers. They have entered fields that have traditionally been viewed as male-dominated.
Though women have excelled in every area, they continue to encounter discrimination at nearly every level of employment. Gender bias is clear from the absence of promotions in the workplace to the lack of basic sanitation facilities for female drivers in India.
Despite the many obstacles and challenges faced by Indian women, their confidence and enthusiasm to create significant social change remain unshaken. They are paving a new way towards social and economic empowerment. Kofi Annan, the former secretary-general of the United Nations, once remarked: “There is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women.” Indian women are moving towards empowerment to make informed, progressive choices for themselves.
“Change” signifies any departure from the accepted way of life or established norms. Social change refers to the transformation within society as a whole. MacIver defined society as a “web of social relationships.” Changes that occur within these social relationships constitute social change. Therefore, any noticeable alterations or modifications in the interactions between individuals indicate social change. Society is a process, not a product. If it were a product, changes would not exist. Processes involve ongoing change, which means they are bound to evolve. Society is dynamic and ever-changing; it can never be static. We can assert that change is a fundamental law of society; a society that does not change is a myth. Women have also been crucial agents of social change, and as a result of social change, there have been significant improvements in the lives of women. These women are not just beneficiaries of change; they are also the primary agents of change. Throughout India’s long fight for independence, women stood alongside men. The Freedom Movement was their movement, and the struggles were their struggles. In fact, it was a woman, the Rani of Jhansi, who fired the first shot that ignited the freedom struggle in 1857.
While the women of India worked, fought and died for freedom, few have been able to share the fruits of that freedom. They remain subjugated, marginalized
and disenfranchised, as they have been throughout history. Today, their struggle for bringing change is again the nation’s struggle. Freedom for India’s women means freedom for India to create a new future.