Women's empowerment may be characterized as boosting women's self-esteem, ability to make their own decisions, and right to influence societal change for themselves and others.
In development and economics, women's empowerment has become a crucial problem. Economic empowerment for women allows them to control and profit from resources, assets, and income.
It also improves women's well-being and their capacity to handle risk. It can lead to ways to help marginalized genders in a particular political or social environment. While the terms are frequently used interchangeably, the more broad idea of gender empowerment applies to persons of any gender, emphasizing the contrast between biology and gender as a function.
Women's empowerment improves women's position via literacy, education, training, and awareness-raising. Furthermore, women's empowerment refers to women's ability to make strategic life decisions previously unavailable to them.
Women's empowerment is currently a top development priority. Much of the narrative concerns instrumental gains and what women can do for development instead of what development can do for women.
Various national and international organizations have been actively involved in women's empowerment, and they have jointly drafted seven principles which are as follows.
- Make high-level business leadership for gender equality a priority.
- At work, treat everyone equitably, respecting and promoting nondiscrimination and human rights.
- Ensure the health, well-being, and safety of all employees, male and female.
- Encourage women's education, training, and professional development.
- Implement supply chain, marketing, and business development approaches that empower women.
- Promote equality through community projects and campaigning.
- Progress toward gender equality should be measured and reported publicly.
History
18th century: The issue of women's rights became essential to political disputes in France and Britain
19th century: Women began raising their voices for:
- Equal Employment
- Right to vote
- Property Right
- Freedom of Moment
- Inform women about their legal right
- Discrimination
- Right to health
- Right to education
- Reproductive right
- Birth control
- Abortions
- Abuse during childbirth
- Child marriage
- Forced pregnancy
- Freedom from violence
- Family law
Modern moments: The movement was dubbed "feminism" or "women's liberation" by the 1960s. Reformers advocated for equal pay for men, equal legal rights, and the ability to plan their families or choose not to have children.
According to World Bank research published in 2019, women enjoy full legal rights over males in just six countries: Belgium, Denmark, France, Latvia, Luxembourg, and Sweden.
Sectors of empowerment
Empowerment encompasses everything from self-confidence to increased efficiency. On the other hand, female empowerment may be broken down into five categories: social, educational, economic, political, and cultural/psychological.
Social empowerment
The ability of women and girls to act individually and collectively to change social connections as well as the institutions and discourses that exclude them and keep them poor is referred to as social empowerment.
At home, this includes women's ability to choose and debate whether or not to take contraception with their spouse. Outside the house, it implies that women and girls may form meaningful connections, engage in social activities, and make decisions without being constrained by gender conventions.
Educational empowerment
According to the Malala Fund, nearly 130 million girls are not enrolled globally. Without an education, these females are more likely to marry and have children early, labor in low-wage or unpaid jobs, and rely on their husbands or relatives for financial assistance.
Without an education, their futures and their families futures are constrained. Women's empowerment begins with education. It provides women with greater access and possibilities in the labor field, resulting in higher earnings and less isolation at home or exclusion from financial choices.
Economic empowerment
Women's economic empowerment includes their ability to participate equally in existing markets, their access to and control over productive resources; their access to and control over decent work; and increased voice, agency, and meaningful participation in economic decision-making at all levels, from the household to international institutions.
Political empowerment
Gender equality is at the heart of human rights and is the foundation for long-term development. Women and girls make up half of the world's population, but they are frequently excluded from politics and decision-making that directly impact their lives.
Women's political engagement and leadership are critical methods for assisting women in realizing their human rights. Increasing women's participation in leadership and decision-making is beneficial to global economic and social growth.
Cultural/Psychological empowerment
Women who are psychologically empowered break not only traditional and patriarchal taboos and social obligations but also transform their selves and subjectivities. When women join the education system, political groups, or judicial bodies. They feel psychologically empowered and gain control over their income and body.
Joining any institution or occupation allows them to see and learn more about the world than those who remained at home.
Feminist approaches to women empowerment
The movement's purpose of empowering women, consciousness-raising, and relationship-building with women participants and external oppressors are two techniques feminists employ to foster a feeling of women's empowerment.
Raising consciousness
Feminists frequently employ awareness raising to promote women's empowerment. When women raise their consciousness, they learn about their challenges and how they connect to political and economic issues.
Raising consciousness helps oppressed people recognize where they fit into the more effective social system and identify the source of their oppression. Awareness of their difficulties will spark self-mobilization, which will result in empowerment.
Building relationships
Feminist organizers emphasize connection development as a means of empowering women. According to scholars, creating ties leads to empowerment since the rising existence of power imbalances in society is due to a lack of relationships needed to bridge them.
When developing and maintaining partnerships, the two sides must strike a balance between collaboration and disagreement. Conflict frequently emerges when community members seek to establish ties with external power figures such as government representatives.
It is critical to create a place for cooperation and consideration of opposing views since resolving differences allows for trust between the parties.
Barriers
Cultural norms
Women are aware of the problems caused by gender inequality, while others have become accustomed to them. Many powerful men are unwilling to challenge gendered cultural conventions.
Internet
According to research, more Internet access might lead to increased exploitation of women. The publication of personal information working to Stop Online Abuse said in 2010 that 73% of women were abused by cyber stalking, harassment, online pornography, flame, and sexual harassment.
Workplace
According to studies, women face significant challenges in the job than males. Gender-related impediments include sexual harassment, discriminatory hiring practices, professional advancement, and uneven pay, in which women are paid less than men for the same work.
When comparing the median wages of men and women who worked full-time, year-round, in 2014, government statistics revealed that women earned $0.79 for every dollar earned by males.
According to 2014 research done by the National Partnership for Women and Children, the average wages for working moms were even less than $0.71 for every dollar earned by fathers.
Internet
The internet is breaking down barriers and developing bridges that encourage more education, better health, professional progression, a stronger community, and internet activism to fight for women's rights.
An example of internet activism being influenced is a 2013 online campaign that resulted in Facebook removing different sites that preached hatred toward women. 100 female supporters launched the initiative.
When the hashtag #AintNoCinderella first appeared in 2017, it quickly went popular after Varnika Kundu was driving home after midnight on August 4 when she was followed and harassed by two guys in an SUV. Kundu was chastised for staying out late.
This prompted women in India and other parts of the world to post photos of themselves late at night with the hashtag "#AintNoCinderella" to demonstrate that women do not have a set curfew.
Conclusion
Despite progress toward women's empowerment, there is still a long way to go.
Making women aware of their potential has now become a need of the times, and the government should implement measures such as health, education, employment, women's awareness, and so on.
It is vital to raise societal awareness and establish public attitudes encouraging women's empowerment.
Many women have even absorbed patriarchal conventions to assert their authority over other women, such as the mother-in-power law's over her daughter-in-law.
Finally, women must take the initiative to fulfill their desires for empowerment. There is no better weapon for the development of women than empowerment.
