Women Empowerment in India

Women Empowerment in INDIA :

In last few decades, Indian women have taken a great stride in all fields of activity. Yet, a lot of remain to be achieved. For example, we have to understood if women speak freely and heared in India.

Despite the country name is Bharat Mata, The status of women had been declining from the ancient to medieval India- Before the reformer.The Women facing many issues such as  ~

*Issues in Social and Cultural Women Empowerment in India - 

•It is the fundamental and the foundational block for the edifice of women empowerment. It includes a range of constituent such as discriminatory patriarchy norms against women, access to health and education services, caste, class and religious divides etc.

• Preference of son rather than girl child. Economic survey 2017-18 estimate the number of unwanted girls (for the age group of 0-25years) at 21 million.

• Missing women of 2014 was nearly 63 million and more than 2 million women go missing across age group every year (either due to sex selective, abortion, disease, neglect are inadequate nutrition)

• As many as 39 crime against women reported every hours in India, up from 21 in 2007, according to crime in India 2016 reported by NCRB

*Issues in political Women Empowerment in India - 

•The social and cultural prejudice against women restrict the participation in the decision making process. this extend to political arena as well.

•As per the Election Commission of India, 49% of the Indian electorate consists of women yet, only 14% of the 17th Lok Sabha members are women MPs, the highest since independence.

• Additional representation of women has increased marginally since independence from 4.4% in 1951 to 11% in 2014 way below the Global average of 23.4% . At this rate, it would take another 18 years to reach the desire gender balance.

•Phenomenon of sarpanchPati or husband who wield control in Panchayat by making their wives contest is neither new nor rare.

*Issues related to Economic Women   Empowerment in India - 

•The financial empowerment is Central to the overall empowerment of women and financial inclusion is an important part of this.

• As per the world Bank, India ranks 120 among 131 countries in female labour force participation rate and rate of gender based violence remains unacceptable high. At 17% of GDP, 

the economic contribution of Indian women is less than half the Global average and compare unfavorably to the 40% in China.

Indian Government steps for Women Empowerment ~

• Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme

This campaign aim to female infanticide, ensure that every girl child is secured and protected, & provide every girl child gets quality education. This is scheme specially focus on helping more and more girls reach School. 

• One Stop Centre

Emergency Response and rescue services, medical assistance, assistance to women in lodging the FIR, psychosocial support and counselling, legal aid and counselling, shelter, video conferencing facilities.

• Women Helpline Scheme 

It is integrated with one stop centre scheme.

• Janani Suraksha Yojana 

The objective of reducing maternal and infant mortality by providing institutional delivery among pregnant women.

• Working Women Hostel 

The financial assistance provided to The eligible implementing organisations including state government agencies and civil society organisations up to 75% of the cost of construction of the hostel building on public land.

• Ujjawala

A comprehensive scheme for prevention of trafficking and Rehabilitation and Re-integration of victims of Trafficking and Commercial Sexual exploitation.

• Nari Shakti Puraskar

The highest civilian honour for women in India, at the special ceremony to be held in Rashtrapati Bhawan New Delhi on international women's Day.

• Mahila-E- Haat

It is an initiative for meeting aspirations and need of women entrepreneurs which will live technology for showcasing product made/manufacture/sold by women entrepreneurs.

• Mahila Shakti Kendra

All sub schemes are integrated into it.

It aim at improving the declining sex ratio. Ensure survival and protection of the girl child, ensuring her education and empowering her to fulfill her potential through capacity building.

Though the schemes and policies are striding women in India. The government and people are now participate to the empowering women. The participations occurring at the small level to the the broad level. The new millennium and dynamics of rapidly changing global and national scenario.

"It is time we all see Gender as a Spectrum instead of two set of Opposing Ideals"