Women empowerment through PRIs: Liberation from poverty and suppression

Abstract

The Panchayatiraj Institutions (PRIs) are the instrument through which women's empowerment can be ensured. The PRIs are the grassroots administrative mechanism intended for the development of rural areas and their people. The people include both men and women. But whatever the arrangement prevalent in India creates more opportunities for women counterparts living in rural areas. Since the last 75 years of independence, the legislative obligations have initiated different women-friendly processes which assured the enhancement of women's empowerment. Different women-related schemes as well as laws were framed and passed to endorse women's empowerment. Further, women's empowerment is relatively interconnected with the development of the nation. Being an agrarian country, India needs help from almost half of its population to increase agro-based products. It is assumed that if women are empowered then the GDP will increase more. In regards to participation in socio-economic and political fields, it is expected that women will more vibrantly participate in the process and a modern society will be established. Considering all the above elements in mind, the researcher endeavours to analyze the PRIs which will provide opportunities to enhance the empowerment of women. The critical observations, pros and cons, limitations of PRIs, and prospects are the primary concerns of this paper. There are different research studies, journal articles, and books that deal with this subject but nobody has analyzed from liberation of women from a poverty and suppression point of view. It will provoke the upcoming researcher to justify the arguments empirically in different states and places of India.