Approaches to Womens

Development

Session 3

DEFINITION
The manifestation of redistribution of power

that challenges patriarchal ideology and male

dominance.

Chandra 1997
Process aimed at changing the nature and
direction of
systematic forces which
marginalize women and other disadvantaged
sections in a given context.

Empowerment is probably the

totality of the following or similar
capabilities:
Decision-making power of their own
Access to information and resources for
taking proper decision
Having a range of options /choices
Assertiveness in collective decision
making
Positive thinking on the ability to make
change
Ability to learn skills.
Ability to change others perceptions by
democratic means.
Involving in the growth process and

PRE-REQUISITES OF EMPOWERMENT
Active participation in social

economic and political spheres.

Process of decision making
empowerment.
Desired self-respect.
Social dignity.
Involvement of women in
decision making process

LEVELS OF
EMPOWERMENT
Welfare
Access
Participation

FACILITATING FACTORS FOR

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
Existence of women's organizations
Availability of support systems
Availability of women-specific
Availability of funds
Feminist leadership
Networking
Favourable media coverage
Favourable policy climate.

CONSTRAINING FACTORS FOR

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
Heavy work load of women.
Isolation of women from each other.
Illiteracy.
Traditional views limit participation.
No funds.
Disagreements/conflicts among women's

groups.
Structural adjustment policies.
Negative and sensational coverage of media

ADVANTAGES OF WOMEN
EMPOWERMENT
Next generation will be empowered

because of her.
If woman will be empowered she will not
be a burden on anyone.
Financial burden of man can be shared
with her support.
Family can be more strong because of
both working hands.
When financial problems will be shared.

RIGHTS OF WOMEN
The right to work as a human being.
The right to the same employment

opportunities, including application of the

same criteria for selection.
The right to free choice of profession and
employment, the right to promotion, job
security and all benefits and conditions of
service and right to receive vocational training
and retraining.
The right to equal remuneration.
The right of social security as well as the

EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN
Economic Empowerment of

women
Poverty Eradication
by offering them a range of
economic and social options, along
with necessary support measures to
enhance their capabilities

Micro Credit

Strengthening of existing microcredit mechanisms and microfinance institution will be

undertaken so that the outreach of
credit is enhanced

Women and Economy

Their contribution to socio-economic
development as producers and workers will be
recognized in the formal and informal sectors
(including home based workers) and
appropriate policies relating to employment and
to her working conditions should be drawn up.

Globalization

Benefits of the growing global

economy have been unevenly
distributed leading to wider economic
disparities, increased gender inequality
through often deteriorating working
conditions and unsafe working
environment.

Women and Agriculture

Concentrated efforts should be made to
ensure that benefits of training, extension
and various programmes will reach them in
proportion to their numbers.

Women and Industry

Comprehensive support in terms of

labour legislation, social security and
other support services to participate in
various industrial sectors

Support Services

Child care facilities for working women,

homes for the aged and the disabled women

Social Empowerment of Women

Education for women

Equal access to education as men and boys

Healthcare for women

Participation of women in development

of science and technology

Nutrition of women

Drinking Water and Sanitation

Housing and Shelter

Environment

Political Empowerment
Recognizing that education and training to

acknowledge and accept the glaring gender

based bias
Empowering women by increasing awareness
regarding the rights of an employee.
Work on the communication skills of women
Encouraging and supporting women
entrepreneurs to develop marketable models
of enterprise

Planning educational and training modules for motivating

women to take up self- empowerment programmes.

Educating and training women to gainfully engage in markets
and institutions.
Publicizing the central role of women in the national economies
and celebrating the success stories of women entrepreneurship
and women professionalism in every field.
Gender training and sensitization of the current structures of
the society represented by the government, non-governmental
bodies and private enterprises.
Improving the flow and access of credit and finance for women
through financial institutions for female entrepreneurs at the
governmental and non-governmental levels.
The access of credit to be financed through collateral for loans.
Building and strengthening networks where women come
together from different nations and regions for common goal
economic empowerment of women.

Cultural Empowerment of Women

There should be a change in the mind set of

society on a fundamental level. Cultural

empowerment as such can be achieved only
when women are treated as human beings
first and foremost

Women in difficulties
Fighting against violence and

discrimination

Rights of the Girl Child

Mass Media

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
PROGRAMMES

Goals and objectives

Advancement and development of women in every walk

of life.

Creating an environment through economic and social

policies.

Enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental

freedom

Equal access to participation and decision making

Equal access to women at all levels

Strengthening legal systems

Active participation and involvement of both men and

women.
Mainstreaming a gender perspective in the
development process.

Goals and objectives

Equal access to women to health care, quality
education at all levels, career and vocational
guidance, employment, equal remuneration,
occupational health and safety, social security and
public office etc.
Strengthening legal systems aimed at elimination of
all forms of discrimination against women

Changing societal attitudes and community practices

by active participation and involvement of both men
and women.

Mainstreaming a gender perspective in the

development process.

Elimination of discrimination and all forms of violence

against women and the girl child;

Components
Educational empowerment.

Social empowerment.

Women in difficulties

Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment

of Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG) Sabla

Central Social Welfare Board (CSWB)
The National Mission for Empowerment
of Women
Was launched by the Government of India
(GoI) on International Womens Day in 2010
Strengthen the inter-sector convergence;
facilitate the process of coordinating all the
womens welfare and socio-economic
development programmes across ministries
and departments.
Mission Poorna Shakti

Focus Area of the Mission

Access to health, drinking water, sanitation and hygiene

facilities for women .

Coverage of all girls especially those belonging to
vulnerable groups in schools from primary to class
12 .
Higher and Professional education for girls/women.
Skill development, Micro credit, Vocational Training,
Entrepreneurship, SHG development .
Gender sensitization and dissemination of
information.
Taking steps to prevent crime against women and
taking steps for a safe environment for women .

Key Strategies of the Mission

Facilitating inter-sector convergence of

schemes.
Strengthening institutional framework
At policy level commission research,
evaluation studies, review schemes,
programmes and legislation, and do
outcome assessment
Enhance economic empowerment.
Evolve with the support of community
representatives and groups

Convergence Model
A project to test a model of delivery for

convergent implementation of programmes

intended for welfare and development of
women.
The women centre at the village level, the
first point of contact for women will be known
as the Poorna Shakti Kendra (PSK).
Village coordinators at the Kendras would
reach out to the women with the motto
"HUM SUNENGE NAARI KI BAAT!"