Indicators of women’s empowerment in India

Abstract

Women’s empowerment, or autonomy, is a multifaceted concept. In a patriarchical society, as exists in large parts of India, men are placed in a more advantageous position than women. The family lineage and living arrangements are centred on men, and inheritance and succession practices tend to neglect women as well. The state of male supremacy is reflected in the child rearing and caring practices. The celebrations for the birth of a male child, and the differential treatment meted out to boys bears ample evidence of this. Access to nutrition, child care and education all favour boys over girls. From a very early age, a girl is socialized to give priority to the needs of the male members in the family. The cumulative effect of these practices is a tilt in the power relations in favour of males. Women’s empowerment is essentially an effort to rectify this imbalance and attain gender equity.