Women Empowerment, Types, Difficulty, Women Empowerment Schemes

Women Empowerment refers to the process of eliminating the social, economic, and political disparities between men and women. The term itself gained prominence in the 19th century, with empowerment signifying the act of enabling or granting power. For centuries, women have been perceived as the weaker gender across the world. Even after India attained independence, women continued to be deprived of equal socio-economic status. To address this, both the Government of India and various non-governmental organisations have undertaken initiatives to promote the holistic development of women in society.

The United Nations declared the period from 1975 to 1985 as the Decade for Women, recognising the global need for gender equality. The year 2001 was designated as the ‘International Year for Women’s Empowerment’, a resolution that was also adopted by India.

Women Empowerment

Women Empowerment refers to ensuring equal opportunities for women to increase their participation in various spheres of social life. Its objective is to enable women to exercise freedom in making decisions concerning their education, health, lifestyle and career. The major aim of women’s empowerment is to ensure that women attain rights, status and power on par with men to promote equality and inclusivity within society.

Women Empowerment Types

Women Empowerment is a multidimensional concept with social, educational, economic, and political aspects. Each of these plays a crucial role in ensuring that women attain equal rights, opportunities, and status in society.

Social Empowerment

Social Empowerment is the foundation of Women Empowerment. Historically, women in India faced deep-rooted social inequalities due to patriarchal norms, the caste system, and oppressive practices such as sati, polygamy, and restrictions on their freedom. Social empowerment aims to give women the right to make independent decisions regarding health, marriage, family, childbirth, and overall lifestyle. The ability to exercise such choices is key to ensuring dignity and equality in society.

Educational Empowerment

Education is the cornerstone of empowerment, shaping both personal and professional lives. For centuries, women were denied access to education and confined to household roles. Bridging this gap requires universal access to quality education for girls. States with higher female literacy, such as Kerala, show the transformative effect of women’s education. Educated women not only improve their own lives but also uplift their families and communities. Initiatives like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao reflect the government’s commitment to this cause.

Economic Empowerment

Financial independence is essential for women to assert their rights and make independent decisions. Economic empowerment involves equal access to employment, markets, and entrepreneurial opportunities. Women have shown exceptional managerial and entrepreneurial potential, yet societal biases still restrict their participation. By strengthening women’s role in the workforce, India can accelerate development. The focus on women’s economic empowerment under India’s G20 agenda underscores its national importance.

Political Empowerment

Political participation is vital for bringing lasting social change. Greater representation of women in politics ensures that their concerns and perspectives are adequately addressed in policymaking. Measures like one-third reservation for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions and municipal bodies have been significant. However, the passage of the long-pending Women’s Reservation Bill in Parliament remains crucial to guarantee women a stronger voice in governance and national decision-making.

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Women Empowerment Difficulties

Women Empowerment in India is a gradual and difficult process, disturbed by deep-rooted social, cultural, and economic barriers. Some of the major Women Empowerment Difficulties are:

Demographic Imbalance

The National Family Health Survey-5 recorded a fall in the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) from 2.2 in 2015-16 to 2.0 in 2019-20, reflecting progress. However, the sex ratio at birth (SRB) remains at 937 females per 1,000 males in 2021, with an overall ratio of 108.1 boys for every 100 girls. This sex ratio highlights gender bias, often driven by female infanticide and the cultural preference for male children. States like Uttarakhand, Haryana, and Delhi continue to record highly imbalanced ratios, underlining the patriarchal mindset that undermines women’s status in society.

Health Problems

Women’s health is one of the most neglected areas in India. Nearly 70% of adolescent girls suffer from anemia, while menstrual health and hygiene remain inadequately addressed. The maternal mortality rate stood at 113 (2016-18), and around 70% of women are affected by reproductive tract infections, leading to infertility or pregnancy complications. These figures show the urgent need for improved healthcare access and awareness to safeguard women’s well-being.

Neglect of Female Education

Female education continues to lag behind. UNESCO data shows that in 2022, the female literacy rate in India was 70.3%, significantly lower than the global average of 79% and well below the male literacy rate of 84.7%. States like Bihar and Rajasthan remain among the worst performers. Lack of education leaves women unaware of their rights, making them more vulnerable to exploitation, while educated women are better equipped to resist injustice and contribute to society.

Violence Against Women

Violence Against Women and girls remains one of the most pervasive human rights violations. It severely impacts women’s physical, emotional, and social well-being, creating barriers to achieving gender equality. Data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) shows a 15.3% increase in crimes against women in 2021. Domestic violence, sexual harassment, trafficking, and honor killings continue to undermine women’s freedom and dignity.

Types of Violence against Women

Violence against women takes many forms, cutting across social, cultural, and economic boundaries. Some of the most prevalent Types of Violence against Women are:

• Domestic Violence: One of the most widespread forms, domestic violence includes verbal, non-verbal, physical, sexual, emotional, and psychological abuse inflicted by an intimate partner.
• Female Infanticide/Femicide: This refers to the deliberate killing of a girl child, either before birth (through sex-selective abortion) or after birth, simply because she is female.
• Honor Killing: Honor killings involve the murder of a woman by her own family members, often justified as preserving the family’s so-called honor.
• Online Violence/Cybercrime: Digital spaces are increasingly unsafe for women. This category includes cyberstalking, online harassment, circulation of morphed or intimate images, and other forms of technology-enabled abuse.
• Sexual Violence: This category has multiple forms:
  • Sexual Harassment: Unwanted physical contact, sexual comments, demands for favors, or stalking.
  • Rape: A non-consensual act of sexual penetration.
• Human Trafficking: Millions of women and girls are victims of trafficking, often pushed into forced labor or sexual exploitation. (Read more: Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act)
• Child Marriage: The marriage of a girl below 18 years is recognized as child marriage. It violates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and exposes girls to lifelong risks of exploitation and abuse.

List of Major Women Empowerment Schemes in India

As per the Ministry of Women and Child Development the below mentioned are the List of Major Women Empowerment Schemes in India which was introduced by the central government in India: