Essay on Women Empowerment – Evolution of Women Empowerment in India
Essay on Women Empowerment in India – This can also be used in Speech for Woman Empowerment.
Essay on Women Empowerment
Here is a detailed essay on women empowerment, specifically written for students. These points on women empowerment can be included in your speech on women empowerment. These are also beneficial for the article on women empowerment. Students can also use the details to prepare a debate on the topic of women empowerment and gender justice.
Women Empowerment – Emancipation of women
What makes humans different from animals? One might say the smarter brain, rational and logical thinking, language skills, cultural norms, the great discoveries starting from fire to fighter jets, and so on. And, today we have come a long way from hunter-gatherers to digital nomads. Haven’t we?
The nurturer‘s role
One might wonder what the short introductory rant about the superior species: human beings got to do with the gender gap and women empowerment. One basic variation between humans and most animals is the long childhood, and then comes the worldly expectations from the offspring.
A tiger cub is supposed to eat well and grow to become a good tiger. There is not much parenting to do. It is not the case with us. A human child needs to be cared for and protected.
The physical and mental well-being of the child is equally important to us. One requires moral principles and also has to be prepared to face the competitive world. Historically, the role of nurturing and caregiving went to women, and men took the responsibility of (economic) sustenance.
They took up hunting, cultivation, and trade. But slowly, society began to regard women as weak and vulnerable, and men as strong and stoic. Women didn’t have any say in financial matters and were completely dependent on men for their survival. This led to the gender gap and the suppression of the basic rights of women.
The secondary citizens and Industrialization
It was in the dawn of the 20th century when women all over the world began to protest for their rights and equality. So, not long before, women were considered as secondary citizens. They were enslaved, objectified, and had to fight for everything: their right to opine, to property, to vote, etc.
The industrial revolution of the 1850s brought many changes in the social set up. Before this period, women were homebound and took up traditional jobs like sewing. But advances in agriculture brought small farmer families to the urban centers.
The cost of living increased, and a single income was not enough to support the family. So, women had to earn too. Modernization of the textile industry also played a crucial role in the entry of women in the workforce.
But, even when women worked in industries, there were wage disparities and discrimination. Around the year 1910, women and socialist groups in the USA, Europe, and Russia, began the women’s rights movement demanding equal pay, universal suffrage, anti-discriminatory laws, and for creating awareness among the women.
Women Empowerment – History and evolution
As an impact of the industrial revolution, the role that women played in society began to change. Along with socialist fervors, women began to realize their self-worth and wanted equal opportunities in all realms of life. The United Nations began celebrating International Women’s Day in 1975.
In the developed and western world where the feminist movements began, significant improvements have been made. But the gender bias exists still, and not many women are making it to the top rungs of the corporate ladder.
They are also scantily present in policy-making committees. The gender ratio in advanced technical fields and scientific research works is still skewed.
But the plight of women hasn’t improved much in underdeveloped nations of Africa, Asia, and the Arab world. Most of the women here still live in subjugated conditions. They don’t have access to education and financial services.
They get low-income jobs and also face violence and discrimination.
As women constitute 49.56 % of the total world population, it is essential that women all over the world have an equal share in all social, political, and economic activities.
Women empowerment is required to foster a sense of liberty; to provide decision-making power and equal opportunities.
Women Empowerment in India
In India, the rural and urban divide also brings in differences in the enhancement of the lives of women. In our country, the educated and the urban population have realized the benefits of educating a girl child and the financial freedom of women. More women from these groups are joining the workforce and are leading a better and stable life.
However, discrimination, violence, and harassment at the workplace or in the closed walls of homes continue to exist. But, in rural and poor households, the situation is grim. Issues like female foeticide, the dowry system, and child marriage are prevalent.
The society is still committed to patriarchy. Irrespective of the laws, girls are not proffered the right to property and are considered as a burden. Even in well-to-do families, male children are often prioritized and have better access to fulfill their ambitions. Girls are often not educated and enlightened on the progress that humanity is making. They neither have health awareness nor financial awareness.
Another major factor that stalls development is the lapse in the implementation of laws and policies. Though we have laws to address discrimination of women and violence against women, our women, irrespective of the background, live in constant fear. Safety remains a major concern here. The policy-practice gap and rampant corruption impact the status of women in our society.
Benefits of women empowerment
Development of any kind cannot be achieved when half of the population is neglected. So, all claims of the progress of humanity become void. We may not be harnessing our true potential as the super species on Earth.
The first step towards women’s empowerment is educating a girl child. It is said that when you educate a woman, you educate the whole society. With good education, girls can get high-paying jobs, and consequently, wage gaps could be lowered. Increased health awareness prevents early pregnancy and malnutrition. When women have more freedom, they can involve in unexplored areas like politics.
Women at the helm of affairs, can articulate their problems better and it becomes easy to implement policy changes. Key development indicators like food security, sanitation, and health can be significantly improved by increasing awareness among women. It could solve problems like sexual harassments as they would inculcate better values in their sons.
Now we need better childcare policies, health reforms, and a flexible work environment for women. Another major concern is the safety of women. Though the #metoo campaign against sexual assaults has gained momentum, we need more stringent laws against violence and misbehavior of any form. A society where women feel secure and confident is sustainable in the long term. Since ages, it is women who have taken the onus for the wellbeing, peace, and progress of the family and the same can be applied to the entire community with the active participation of women.
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