Women Empowerment And Its Conceptual Perspectives

Abstract

Women Empowerment is a comprehensive concept and multidimensional. It relates to economic, social, political and other aspects of life. Being comprehensive, it suggests that all dimensions of life need to be empowered. Empowerment with regard to all dimensions of life apparently to be initiated simultaneously.

            Empowerment expresses at different level and also in different aspects of life. Significantly the concept takes ideological commitments into its formations. It is based on gender, equality, ability of self assertion and enabling skill development. The term has been used to represent a wide range of concepts and to describe a proliferation of outcomes.

            Women Empowerment has its origin in their subordinate position in patriarchy and associated ill treatments and non recognition to their contributions. It is important that the additional positive contribution of women to general development by enabling their participations meaningfully in development process. Significantly, the promotion of women’s empowerment has concerns with development goals of equality, social justice and freedom. World Bank (2001) in its reports identifies gender equality both as a development objective in itself and as means to promote, growth, reduce poverty and promote better Governance. As a means, women Empowerment would be a contributing force to overall development of a nation. The study tries to conceptualize the term empowerment and women empowerment in particular.