Rights of Women in India
“Yatra naryastu pujayante,ramnte tatra devta”
Meaning,where women are worshiped God gives his grace.With these ideals that are taught to all we find in India one of the most miserable group are the women!! The reason being they are not aware of their rights & equally they are not being implemented.We have to find out those basic rights which should be given to all the women because thy are having some disabilties from that of the men.lets summarise the rights of women so that all major part of them could be covered.
Broadly speaking we can classify these rights into following types:
A. Constitutional Rights,
B. Legal Rights, and
C.Other rights
A.Constitutional rights include the rights which are enshrined under the fundamental rights and those which are mentioned under the Directive principles of state policy.These include the right to equality,right to have equal remuneration,right to have good health,right to have due respect and right to have maternity banefits,along with other rights.
B.Legal rights include the rights which are civil rights which include the rights of equal standing of the women like that of the men,equal treatmtnt at the workplace.Where she is not capable to claim her paternal property,now she can do that.She can adopt a child even at her bachelorhood & widowhood.Like such rights are given to her.
Crimrinal rights include that she could not be given the death sentence except in rarest cases,she could not be called at any police station after sunset,she could not be arrested without the presence of the women police officer.Alomg with that she should be given all the proper medical assistance.
C.Other Rights includes social rights,which includes that she should be given right to live,right to proper health.
Educational rights which includes that she should be equal right of getting education of her choice,she should be educated.
Physical Rights includes right to have control over her body,even where she is a women of easy virtue,to say no to the expansion of the family,to resist the physical violence against her.
In short we find that there are many rights which are available to the women but we find that she is not aware of these aspects.by making all these public and at the same time the implementing authorities are lacking will power to implement these!!
But together if we stand against all this we can change the scenario and like wise with the mass awareness it can be challenged.
Women Entrepreneurs Use Branding for Business Success
If you are among the many women entrepreneurs who have decided to fly solo in your business ventures, you’ll want to make sure that you make a memorable name for yourself. Coming up with the perfect branding techniques for business success involves more than just developing a catchy title, fun slogan, or ideal image. Branding your logo involves making your name synonymous with success! In this article, we’ll explore ways in which women entrepreneurs can follow in the footsteps of other successful solo artists in using branding techniques to make themselves memorable for all the right reasons.
First, the term “branding” can refer to a process of developing an image, logo, catchphrase, and overall company impression that sticks with a woman entrepreneur’s clientele. Many times, when we think of branding, we thing of popular logos, such as the Nike swoosh, the Empire Carpet phone number jingle, the Apple Computer apple icon, or other famous visual or auditory cues. Our senses are tantalized as we easily come up with an image or name or slogan to associate with a particular company. The company that uses branding does so in a way that makes us easily remember their product. The Apple Computer Company hopes that every time we eat an apple, we think of what great computers their company produces. Women entrepreneurs need to think long and hard about the image they want to create. A woman wants to be memorable; she wants to set herself apart from her competition. Most importantly, she wants her name to be associated with success.
Branding is more than just coming up with a memorable image. Branding involves making business choices that will make a consumer always think favorably about a company. If a business is constantly making headlines that involve disgruntled employees, poor customer service, bait and switch practices, and other negative press, the company brand will be synonymous with the word “bad”. Women entrepreneurs must work hard to ensure that their company is branded as successful, high quality, superb, outstanding, and above the board. Because women entrepreneurs must work even harder than their male counterparts to be recognized at times, it is crucial that they set themselves apart and sell their brand to the extreme.
There are many women entrepreneurs who have accomplished great success in their solo journeys. Look at Rachael Ray, whose name and brand have become associated with the comforts and fun that good food involves. Rachael Ray used her own name for branding her business in her particular niche. By just hearing her name, you may think of food, positive, upbeat energy, and all the passion that cooking can bring to life. She didn’t have to use a dynamic logo to catch your attention; she used her name, made her image a positive one, and took hold of her audience. She marketed herself in the media in all forms possible.
To enjoy success as women entrepreneurs, female solo artists must take business branding to heart. They must be willing to market themselves aggressively, showcasing their positive image and place in the business world. Branding for women entrepreneurs means more than developing a catchy phrase or dynamic logo. Branding in business involves setting yourself apart from the competition and selling your positive name and place in your industry. Soon, you’ll be enjoying success among other women entrepreneurs in the business world.
Indian Women: Natural Potential to be an Entrepreneur
v Introduction:
It is general belief in our society that role of women is restricted in four walls of home or you can say women are involved in mainly household activities like cooking and reading. Economy of any country can’t boom without contributing women. The growing industrialization, urbanization and social legislation and with the spread of education and awareness women have shifted from kitchen to higher level of professional activities. Today’s women are taking more and more professional and technical degrees to cope up with market need.
The position of women and their status is any society is an index of its civilization. Women are to be considered as equal partner in the process of development. But, because of centuries of exploitation and subjugation Indian women have remained at the receiving end. Women in India have been neglected lot. They have not been actively involved in the mainstream of development even through they represent equal proportion of the population and labor force. As technology speeds up lives women are as emerging economic force which can not be neglected by policy maker. The world’s modern democratic economy depends on the participation of both sexes.
Today women is advance market economies own more then 25% of all businesses & women owned business in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America are growing rapidly. Women as an independent target group account for 495.74 million and represent 48.5% of the country’s population as per the 2001 census. No country can achieve its potential without adequately investing in and developing the capabilities of women. In the interest of long-term development it is necessary to facilitate their empowerment.
In many developing countries including India women have much less access to education, jobs, and income then men. Ever after five and half decade of planned development Indian women have not achieved expected success in the mainstream of life. Our country will be unable to have a competitive edge over others until and unless the status and role of women is improved. In Indian context, National level Standing Committee on Women Entrepreneur constituted by the Ministry of Industries The Govt. of India(1984) notes women entrepreneur as “An enterprise owned and controlled by women having a minimum financial interest of 51% of the capital and giving at least 51% of employment generated in the enterprise to women. ” However, the validity of such a definition had been challenged at every step particularly in 8th National Convention of Women Entrepreneurs held in 1990. Finally the schemes that were offered condescend to drop the second requirement but the first is applicable till today. The generally accepted definition includes women who create something new, organize production and undertake risk and handle economic uncertainties (Anuradha, 1988) to adjust their personality needs, family life, social life and economic independence (Singh and Gupta, 1985) .Further they may not necessarily be the independent organizer\manager (Singh et.al., 1986)
According to Kamala Singh,” A women entrepreneur is a confident, innovative and creative woman capable of achieving economic independence individually or in collaboration generates employment opportunities for others through initiating establishing and running an enterprise by keeping pace with her personal, family and social life.
According to Medha Dubhanshi Vinze, a women entrepreneur is a person who is an enterprising individual with an eye for opportunities and an uncanny vision, Commercial acumen, with tremendous perseverance and above all a person who is willing to take risk with the unknown because of the adventures spirit she possesses.
Thus a women entrepreneur is one who starts business and manages it independently and tactfully takes all the risks, faces the challenges boldly with an iron will to succeed.
Entrepreneurship before it was considered as a male dominated activity but time has changed the situation and brought women as today’s most memorable and inspirational entrepreneur. Today you can see a women in every where whether it is super market or departmental store. Even in rural area in STD PCO shop also. We can states the example of Shanaj Hussain , Kiran majumdar who started their business at small level now they have reached a great height. It is a good sign for country that Indian women are coming out from their home and contributing in national economy because a little beginning can show great results. Women have all the traits that are required to run an enterprise but there is only need to identify them and work on that direction. Being a woman is not a weakness for them it is strength or a god given advantage for them
If we look a site on physiological variables in men and women we will find that
v Female has more nerve cell in central areas
v Women transfer data due to larger corpus collusm making it easier for increased flexibility and multitasking
v Gray Matter the part that allows thinking is 55.4% in women and 50.8% in men
These data reveals us that women are empowered with natural advantage that aid in creating, developing and fostering relationship
If we see the role of a woman in their home we’ll find that the psychological characteristics that she required to mange their home best fit in their entrepreneurial characteristics. All the women who are running their home can successfully run an enterprise al effort in this article to correlate women inherit characteristics with entrepreneurial characteristics.
S.N.
Basic Characteristics of a Indian women
Characteristics required for a successful Entrepreneur
1.
Indian women are known for juggling many tasks at same time in their personal lives for e.g. women can talk on phone and the same time she can easily handle their kitchen also.
Multi task oriented
This attribute is known as multi task oriented that is most essential trait for an entrepreneur this help in saving time and handling more works
2.
Indian women can easily connect with people and they don’t hesitate to ask for help. Indian women always do this in their routine life like to take admission in new school she contact with guardians and get information about best school
This trait of women in our business language known as ability to make strong network
3
Indian women are very calm and they solve any family problem gently. Indian women show great extent of patience in their family life
Being patient is most urgent for an entrepreneur. To receive result an entrepreneur have to wait till the process is complete
4.
Indian women always give emphasize on positive attribute of any product weather it is related to health or any home accessories. She always ready to tell others about their positive experience
Marketing skill
This skill of women in business language known as marketing skill women are natural marketer. To emphasize the benefit of their service to their potential customer this skill is required to run an enterprise.
5.
Women are thorough with their daily task. they don’t get bored with their routine activities
This attribute of women is known as being consistent and thorough with daily task. This attribute help women to get more clients, they get more chance to be seen by potential customer if they consistently watching your name like providing consistently good product and services help with maintain customers
6
women can effectively mange their house budget, they are more aware about price of the product
Having cost conscious is very crucial to run an enterprise. To solve the problem of scarcity of funds an entrepreneur should be cost effective.
7
Indian women can easily grasp anything that is new either it is any food recipe or any new required skill
Open and willingness to learn is most essential for an entrepreneur to survive in this competitive world
8
Indian women can easily adjust in joint family and can work with them coordinately
This attribute of women show team work and loyalty in women that required if u work in a group
9
Indian women always fight for their problems and take initiative and try to solve any family matter
This attribute of women called as ability to focus intensely and decision making
10
In spite of having lots of responsibilities problem she always try to think about themselves like further study or career advancement
This quality of women shows that they are highly ambitious and an entrepreneur have to be ambitious
Effective entrepreneurs require certain basic qualities which can be listed as follow -
Innovative thinking and farsightedness
Quick and effective decision making skill
Ability to mobilizes and marshal resource.
Strong determination and self confidence.
Preparedness to take risk.
Accepting changes in right time.,
Access and alertness to latest scientific & technological information
In spite of having all the characteristics of being a women entrepreneur a women face lots of problems that hurdle them to be an entrepreneur
v Problems of women entrepreneurs
Women owned business are highly increasing in the economics of almost all countries. The hidden entrepreneurial potential of women has gradually been changing with the growing sensitivity to the role and economic status in the society. Skill, knowledge & adoptability in the business are the main reason for women to emerge in to business venture. Women entrepreneurs” is a person who accepts challenging role to meet her personal needs and become economically independent, strong desire to do something positive is an inbuilt quality of entrepreneurial women who is capable of contributing values in both family and social life.
Women is advanced nation are recognized are more prominent in the business world but the Indian women entrepreneurs faced many problem to get ahead their life in business.
A few problems can be detailed:-
The greatest deterrent to women entrepreneurs is that they are women. Male member think it is a big risk financing the venture by women.
The financial institutions are skeptical about the entrepreneurial abilities of women. The bankers consider women loonies as higher risk then more loonies. The bankers put unrealistic and unreasonable securities to get loan to women entrepreneurs.
The women entrepreneurs are suffering from inadequate financial resource &and working capital. The women entrepreneurs lack access to external funds due to their inability to provide tangible security. Very few women have the tangible property in hand.
Women’s family obligation also bar them from becoming successful entrepreneurs in both developed and developing nation. The financial institutions discourage women entrepreneurs on the belief that they can at any time leave their business and become housewives again. The result is that they are forced to rely on their own saving and loan from relatives and family friends.
Indian women give more emphasis to family ties and relationship. Married women have to make a fine balance between business and home. The interest of the family member is a determinant factor in the realization of women folk business aspiration.
Another argument is that women entrepreneurs have low management skills. They have to depend on office staffs and intermediaries to get things done especially the marketing and sales side of business.
The male female competition is another factor which develops hurdles to women enterprises in the business management process.
Lack of knowledge of availability of the raw material and law level negotiation & bargaining skill are the factors which affect women entrepreneurs’ business venture.
Knowledge of latest technological change, know-how and education level of person is significant factor that affect business. The literacy rate of women in India is found at low level compare to male population although great advance are being made in technology , many women’s literacy , structured difficulties and lack of access to technical training prevent the technology from being beneficial of even available to female.
The studies indicated that uneducated women do not have the knowledge of measurement and basic accounting.
10. Low level risk taking attitude is another factor affecting women folk decision to get into business. Low level education provides low level self-confidence and self reliance to the women fork to engage in business. Which is continuous risk taking and strategic decision making profession .Though the risk tolerance ability of the women folk in day to day life is high compare to male member while in business it is found opposite to that.
11. Achievement motivation of the women folk found less compared to male member. The low level of education and confidence leads to low level of achievement and advancement motivating among women folk to engage in business operation and running a business concern.
12. Finally high production cost of some business operation adversely affects the development of women entrepreneurs. The installation of new machinery during expansion of the productive capacity and like similar factor dissuades the women entrepreneur from venturing in to new area.
v Strengths of Women Entrepreneur
Despite the many challenges women face, this early socialization has given women specific traits and abilities that define the female model of business ownership. This different management style can be an asset and one from which men can learn. The style can be described as more cooperative than the competitive male model now taught in business schools. This style is often further developed through volunteer activities in early adulthood. The cooperative style naturally used by most women comes from their early experiences and focuses on the welfare of the group. Participation is shared among the employees with attention paid to their ideas and needs. The style often extends to social issues that are frequently driving forces within the company. The business strategy is formed through active listening and educational experiences and focuses on issues—not just the bottom line. The ability to build relationships is an asset with customers and suppliers, and in the international marketplace. In order to overcome the obstacles they face, women often come up with creative, out-of-the-ordinary methods to help further their goal.
These variables help define the cooperative style that has developed from early socialization of females. Once aware of these traits they become more apparent to observation. This cooperative style is easier to recognize in women business owners where the women are not conforming to a culture set by males in a large corporation. This new, distinctive business is one from which we all can learn. The new model of business for the next century will combine the talents of this cooperative style used by women with the more traditional business approach.
v Conclusion:-
Matching the basic qualities required for entrepreneur and the basic character of Indian women reveal that much potential is available among the Indian women on their entrepreneurial ability. This potential is to be recognized and exposed for utilization in production and service sector for the development of the nation. Women have all the disposition of becoming a successful entrepreneur just identify your passion and start living it
So wishing all the women the very best of their lives. We hope to have a world that is more respectful toward a woman
It is rightly said –well begun is half done
v Reference:-
Aliva Mohanty “Women in Management of Micro enterprise Problems and Prospects” Journal of social science vol.8 (3) pp.245-251 (2004)
Adhikari Shilpee “Women Entrepreneurs New Face of Women” , Saroj institute of technology and management , Lucknow: 2004
Medha Dubhashi Vinze ” Women Entrepreneurship in India” Mittal Pub. New Delhi,: pp112, 1987.
Mishra S.P. ” Factor Affecting Women Entrepreneurship in Small and Cottage industries” ILO, Nov. 1996
Prasad Anuradha, 1988Entrepreneurship development under TRYSEM; ICSSR reviewer, Kuldeep Mathur Concept Pub. Co., New Delhi
Singh, Kamala, Women Entrepreneurs, Ashish Publishing house, New Delhi, 1992.
Professional Women Dealing With Crisis
When professional women hit a crisis point it can be devastating. For many women there comes a point where you wake up one morning and wonder what you have been doing it all for. For some women crisis can occur through losing a job or a partner. We hit a blank wall and can’t see a way out.
For some professional women it simply makes sense to take a break for a while. For many though this is simply not an economic option. Rather than panicking or giving up it is time to stop and re-evaluate where you are at.
Start with your personal values. Mind-map them, or get them written down somehow.. What is your passion? What do you really believe in? What do you see as ideal? Our values under- pin everything we do as women. Most of us know what those values are but just taking the time to record them brings them and keeps them clear in our heads.
For professional women losing a job can seem like the end of the world. It is not. With your values identified, look at your passion and your skills. Do you need to find another job doing exactly the same thing or can you move in a different direction? Many professional women who have lost their jobs have started completely new ventures and found themselves fulfilled.
If you are looking for new work it is time to re-connect with your network and to make new connections. You never know who or what might come up. If you are feeling unmotivated, get out and go to a few seminars or meetings. Talk to people and re -discover your confidence. Professional women’s groups are a particularly good choice as you are mixing with like-minded people who understand professional womens issues. You may well find ideas and women who can help you.
Always look at alternatives when you hit a crisis point. Women are naturally creative so let your mind flow and see other possibilities. A new business working from home, setting up a partnership with another woman, putting what you love and what you know together to come up with an original product or business idea are all possibilities. There are plenty of others. Write them down and follow your intuition on which ones to explore further. It may be that some of your ideas need to be discarded. Don’t give up; just keep looking for more alternatives. Believe in what you can do and keep going. Once you have found a viable option that you feel passionate about set your goals and decide on an action plan to achieve them. Taking positive action is the key to pushing past the crisis.
Hitting a crisis is simply another of those professional women’s issues that you can deal with. You are a strong, intuitive and caring woman and can move on from any crisis. Identify your values, set new goals and turn a crisis into a positive turning point in your life.
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Women Empowerment Programs
Women Empowerment Programs
Abstract:
The empowerment of women is one of the central issues in the process of development of countries all over the world. Tamil Nadu has a glorious tradition of recognizing the importance of empowering women over several centuries. Self reliance as well as speeding women’s freedom of selection by themselves. Some adherents consider empowerment as increasing the participation which is one of the factors of facilitating the empowerment. The present paper is based on women’s empowerment programs and its implementation and utilizations. The paper concludes the details of woman’s empowerment in some specific challenges faced by the women according to the effective utilization of empowerment program.
Introduction
“Empowering women is a prerequisite for creating a good nation, when women are empowered, society with stability is assured. Empowerment of women is essential as their value systems lead to the development of a good family, good society and ultimately good nation”. – Dr.A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
Empowerment is the One of the key factors in determining the success of development is the status and Position of women in the society. This means that the neglect of women in the envelopment process of any country constitutes a human resource waste. In this principle, it will be a disservice for any country to ignore its women population in its development efforts. The task before any government, therefore, should be that of moving steadily and firmly in the direction of economic development by involving women. True development means the development in the three categories of a woman. These are Individual, social, and economic development. Individual development means increased skills and capability, greater freedom, creativity, self-discipline, responsibility and material well being. Increasing capacity connotes social development, while economic development is determined by the increased capacity of the members of a society in dealing with their environment. This emphasis means that development at the individual stage subsumes both the social and economic categories of development.
Understanding Power
At the core of the concept of empowerment is the idea of power. The possibility of empowerment depends on two things. First, empowerment requires that power can change. If power cannot change, if it is inherent in positions or people, then empowerment is not possible, nor is empowerment conceivable in any meaningful way. In other words, if power can change, then empowerment is possible. Second, the concept of empowerment depends upon the idea that power can expand. This second point reflects our common experiences of power rather than how we think about power.
Understanding Empowerment
Empowerment is a construct shared by many disciplines and arenas: community development, psychology, education, economics, and studies of social movements and organizations, among others. How empowerment is understood varies among these perspectives. In recent empowerment literature, the meaning of the term empowerment is often assumed rather than explained or defined. A common understanding of empowerment is necessary, however, to allow us to know empowerment when we see it in people with whom we are working, and for program evaluation. As a general definition, however, we suggest that empowerment is a multi-dimensional social process that helps people gain control over their own lives. It is a process that fosters power in people, for use in their own lives, their communities, and in their society, by acting on issues that they define as important.
We suggest that three components of our definition are basic to any understanding of empowerment. Empowerment is multi-dimensional, social, and a process. It is multi-dimensional in that it occurs within sociological, psychological, economic, and other dimensions. Empowerment also occurs at various levels, such as individual, group, and community. Empowerment, by definition, is a social process, since it occurs in relationship to others. Empowerment is a process that is similar to a path or journey, one that develops as we work through it. Other aspects of empowerment may vary according to the specific context and people involved, but these remain constant. In addition, one important implication of this definition of empowerment is that the individual and community are fundamentally connected.
What is women’s empowerment? Women’s empowerment is not a Northern concept. Women all over the world, including countries in the South, have been challenging and changing gender inequalities since the beginnings of history. Women’s empowerment has five components: · women’s sense of self-worth; their right to have and to determine choices; · their right to have access to opportunities and resources; · their right to have the power to control their own lives, · both within and outside the home; · and their ability to influence the direction of social change to create a more just social and economic order, nationally and internationally. Some specific challenges faced by women:
There are three challenges. They are:
Security Restricted Mobility Education
Security
The most serious issue faced by women is that of a perceived lack of security. In reality however, the existing laws protecting women’s basic security are inadequately enforced and there has not been satisfactory effort to introduce additional revised or supplementary measures that are better able to address the gender-specific issue of women’s lack of security. This has been demonstrated by a continued rise in acts of violence committed against women in Pakistan today. The lack of effective legal framework for protecting the security of women underlies and reinforces the corresponding lack of laws protecting the rights of women with regards to equality issues, sexual harassment regulation, equality of opportunity, and proportional representation in employment, particularly within the security and law-enforcement sector. What women are left with is an environment in which they are left with unequal freedom and security to men in terms of their ability to exercise their right to safely enjoy being independently mobile, attend school, or seek employment opportunities.
RestrictedMobility:
The effect of women’s perceived insecurity when traveling independently, especially outside of their settlements in public spaces, manifests itself in the unequal and disproportionately low representation of females in primary education straight through to employment and participation in politics. Insecurity consequently leads to restricted mobility of women and their reduced access to information. As a result, women are unaware of the importance of health maintenance, the benefits of becoming actively involved in the public sphere, and their legal rights. One right in particular with a substantial potential impact on the welfare of women is their right to inherit family wealth. Most women give up their legal right to natal family wealth in order to maintain the natal family’s obligation to provide financial and physical security in the event of adverse circumstances. In addition to inheritance rights, women experience similar difficulties in exercising their rights under marriage, divorce and alimony. Child marriage is an area in particular that still requires significant improvement, as one-third of girls still marry before the legal minimum age of 16. However, such practices encourage women’s increased dependency upon their family and community, and in so doing, prevent women’s empowerment.
Education:
Education is especially central to women’s empowerment in so far as it enables women to become more productive both inside and outside the household. The World Bank has further determined that a mother’s education has a beneficial impact on family size, the well-being of her children, and her use of community services. Conversely, illiteracy has a limiting effect on women’s ability to access relevant information. Among these lower-income quintiles, girls receive much less in government resources per capita than do boys at primary and secondary school levels, and benefit less from increases in public education spending. Making matters works, according to an October 2004 International Crisis Group report, state services in Pakistan with regards to the public education system are failing. With less than two percent GDP currently spent on state education, the rise of Islamic schools, or madras’s, have stepped up to fill in the service gap, to the disadvantage and exclusion of Pakistani girls’ education. Besides this madrasa boom, the failing public school system has contributed to a steep rise in school drop out rates, delinquency and crime. Increasing the amount of government spending is not all that is needed to reverse this trend. A modern and more practical curriculum needs to be adopted to replace what is now widely regarded as an outdated, impractical and rigid public school syllabus inhospitable to any reform. A restructured and revitalized education system is a necessary step for girls and women towards becoming better informed, and towards developing their skills for entry into the country’s work force.
Economic Empowerment of women
Poverty Eradication
· Since women comprise the majority of the population below the poverty line and are very often in situations of extreme poverty, given the harsh realities of intra-household and social discrimination, macro economic policies and poverty eradication programmes will specifically address the needs and problems of such women. There will be improved implementation of programmes which are already women oriented with special targets for women. Steps will be taken for mobilization of poor women and convergence of services, by offering them a range of economic and social options, along with necessary support measures to enhance their capabilities
Micro Credit
In order to enhance women’s access to credit for consumption and production, the establishment of new, and strengthening of existing micro-credit mechanisms and micro-finance institution will be undertaken so that the outreach of credit is enhanced. Other supportive measures would be taken to ensure adequate flow of credit through extant financial institutions and banks, so that all women below poverty line have easy access to credit.
Women and Economy
Women’s perspectives will be included in designing and implementing macro-economic and social policies by institutionalizing their participation in such processes. 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 will be drawn up. Such measures could include:
Globalization
Globalization has presented new challenges for the realization of the goal of women’s equality, the gender impact of which has not been systematically evaluated fully. However, from the micro-level studies that were commissioned by the Department of Women & Child Development, it is evident that there is a need for re-framing policies for access to employment and quality of employment. Benefits of the growing global economy have been unevenly distributed leading to wider economic disparities, the feminization of poverty, increased gender inequality through often deteriorating working conditions and unsafe working environment especially in the informal economy and rural areas. Strategies will be designed to enhance the capacity of women and empower them to meet the negative social and economic impacts, which may flow from the globalization process.
Women and Agriculture
In view of the critical role of women in the agriculture and allied sectors, as producers, concentrated efforts will be made to ensure that benefits of training, extension and various programmes will reach them in proportion to their numbers. The programmes for training women in soil conservation, social forestry, dairy development and other occupations allied to agriculture like horticulture, livestock including small animal husbandry, poultry, fisheries etc. will be expanded to benefit women workers in the agriculture sector.
Women and Industry
The important role played by women in electronics, information technology and food processing and agro industry and textiles has been crucial to the development of these sectors. They would be given comprehensive support in terms of labour legislation, social security and other support services to participate in various industrial sectors. Women at present cannot work in night shift in factories even if they wish to. Suitable measures will be taken to enable women to work on the night shift in factories. This will be accompanied with support services for security, transportation etc.
Support Services
The provision of support services for women, like child care facilities, including crèches at work places and educational institutions, homes for the aged and the disabled will be expanded and improved to create an enabling environment and to ensure their full cooperation in social, political and economic life. Women-friendly personnel policies will also be drawn up to encourage women to participate effectively in the developmental process.
Social Empowerment of Women
Education
Equal access to education for women and girls will be ensured. Special measures will be taken to eliminate discrimination, universalize education, eradicate illiteracy, create a gender-sensitive educational system, increase enrolment and retention rates of girls and improve the quality of education to facilitate life-long learning as well as development of occupation/vocation/technical skills by women. Reducing the gender gap in secondary and higher education would be a focus area. Sectoral time targets in existing policies will be achieved, with a special focus on girls and women, particularly those belonging to weaker sections including the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes/Other Backward Classes/Minorities. Gender sensitive curricula would be developed at all levels of educational system in order to address sex stereotyping as one of the causes of gender discrimination.
Health
A holistic approach to women’s health which includes both nutrition and health services will be adopted and special attention will be given to the needs of women and the girl at all stages of the life cycle. The reduction of infant mortality and maternal mortality, which are sensitive indicators of human development, is a priority concern. This policy reiterates the national demographic goals for Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) set out in the National Population Policy 2000. Women should have access to comprehensive, affordable and quality health care. To effectively meet problems of infant and maternal mortality, and early marriage the availability of good and accurate data at micro level on deaths, birth and marriages is required. Strict implementation of registration of births and deaths would be ensured and registration of marriages would be made compulsory. In accordance with the commitment of the National Population Policy (2000) to population stabilization, this Policy recognizes the critical need of men and women to have access to safe, effective and affordable methods of family planning of their choice and the need to suitably address the issues of early marriages and spacing of children. Interventions such as spread of education, compulsory registration of marriage and special programmes like BSY should impact on delaying the age of marriage so that by 2010 child marriages are eliminated. Women’s traditional knowledge about health care and nutrition will be recognized through proper documentation and its use will be encouraged. The use of Indian and alternative systems of medicine will be enhanced within the framework of overall health infrastructure available for women.
Nutrition
In view of the high risk of malnutrition and disease that women face at all the three critical stages viz., infancy and childhood, adolescent and reproductive phase, focussed attention would be paid to meeting the nutritional needs of women at all stages of the life cycle. This is also important in view of the critical link between the health of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women with the health of infant and young children. Special efforts will be made to tackle the problem of macro and micro nutrient deficiencies especially amongst pregnant and lactating women as it leads to various diseases and disabilities.
Housing and Shelter
Women’s perspectives will be included in housing policies, planning of housing colonies and provision of shelter both in rural and urban areas. Special attention will be given for providing adequate and safe housing and accommodation for women including single women, heads of households, working women, students, apprentices and trainees.
Environment
Women will be involved and their perspectives reflected in the policies and programmes for environment, conservation and restoration. Considering the impact of environmental factors on their livelihoods, women’s participation will be ensured in the conservation of the environment and control of environmental degradation. The vast majority of rural women still depend on the locally available non-commercial sources of energy such as animal dung, crop waste and fuel wood. In order to ensure the efficient use of these energy resources in an environmental friendly manner, the Policy will aim at promoting the programmes of non-conventional energy resources. Women will be involved in spreading the use of solar energy, biogas, smokeless chulahs and other rural application so as to have a visible impact of these measures in influencing eco system and in changing the life styles of rural women.
Young Women Empowerment Programmes 2008
The Youth Development Trust in its endeavor to respond to this plight has extended its market due to one of its first 2006 Monitoring & Evaluation report finding, which is lack of skills development training opportunities amongst deserving disadvantaged Matriculants and Tertiary drop outs. As a result YDT in partnership with the Embassy of Finland will be implementing programs in Gauteng and the North West to 15 participants per province. YDT offers relevant programms to its constituency, hence research is vital to design programmes that directly respond to the challenges and identify opportunities in that particular area or region.
Women in Tourism Empowerment Programme
YDT identified this opportunity to design a ‘Women in Tourism Empowerment Programme”. The programme will focus on Life Skills, Tourism, Marketing and Entrepreneurship incorporating a Beauty Therapy component whereby candidates will be trained on applying make-ups, manicures and pedicures in order for them to immediately create small projects as individuals and offer these services to local people and tourists.
Women in ICTs Empowerment Programme
Technology plays a crucial role in enhancing the economic growth of our province and provides a platform for the expansion of the call center industry and other enterprises in the services sector’. Some key decisions that have been taken by the government are to facilitate the placement of new entrants to the labour market through learnership and internships, also to provide career guidance, and counseling of school leavers to assist them to pursue further studies in the fields that are relevant to the economy and lastly to fast track the implementation of the Human Resources Strategy by all government department. The private sector through various initiatives and promulgated Acts, such have also placed emphasis on education and skills development.
ICTs cuts across all sectors and is growing immensely in the Gauteng province; YDT then identified this opportunity and will recruit 15 females to be trained as there is a demand for ICTs fluent young females in this province . This programme will produce strong and powerful young women who will be success hungry and able to compete with other young people through development of projects and other interventions for sustainability. The core training will focus on Life Skills, PC Technical Support & ICT (Hardware installation, Configuration and Troubleshooting), Entrepreneurial Skills and practical work will be practical work be carried out in different companies around Gauteng.
Implication and Utilization of Government Programs
The empowerment of Rural Women is crucial for the development of the Rural Bharat. Bringing women into the mainstream of development is a major concern for the Government of India, which is why 2001 has been declared as the “Year of Women Empowerment“. The Ministry of Rural Development has special components for Women in its programmes and funds are earmarked as “Women’s Component” to ensure flow of adequate resources for the same. The major Schemes, having Women’s Component, include the Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY), the Jawahar Gram Samridhi Yojana (JGSY), the Indira Awas Yojana (IAY), the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP), the Restructured Centrally Rural Sanitation Programme, the Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme, the (erstwhile) Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP), the (erstwhile) Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA) and the Jawahar Rozgar Yojana (JRY). The brief
details of the Schemes are as follows:
(a) SGSY: The Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana, which has been launched with effect from April 1, 1999, is a holistic programme covering various aspects of selfemployment, such as organisation of the poor into self-help groups, training, credit, technology, infrastructure and marketing. It is envisaged that 50 percent of the Groups formed in each Block should be exclusively for women who will account for at least 40 percent of the Swarozgaris. Under this Scheme, women are encouraged in the practice of thrift and credit which enables them to become self-reliant. Through assistance in the form of Revolving Fund, Bank Credit and Subsidy, the Yojana seeks to integrate women in the economy by providing increasing opportunities of selfemployment.
(b) JGSY: The Jawahar Gram Samridhi Yojana (JGSY) has been launched with effect from April 1, 1999, with the twin objectives of creation of demand-driven community village infrastructure and the generation of supplementary employment (for the unemployed poor) in the rural areas. Wage-employment under the JGSY is extended to below poverty line families. It is stipulated that 30 percent of the employment opportunities should be reserved for women.
(c) IAY : The Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) aims at providing assistance for the construction of houses for people ‘Below the Poverty Line’ in rural areas. Under the Scheme, priority is extended to widows and unmarried women. It has been laid down that IAY houses are to be allotted in the name of women members of the household or, alternatively, in the joint names of husband and wife.
(d) NSAP: The National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP), which came into effect five years back represents a significant step towards introducing a National Policy for Social Assistance benefits to households ‘Below the Poverty Line’, with a major focus on women. The NSAP has three components, namely, the National Old Age Pension Scheme, the National Family Benefit Scheme and the National Maternity Benefit Scheme. The National Maternity Benefit Scheme is exclusively aimed at assisting expectant mothers by providing them Rs.500 each for the first two live births. Under the National Old Age Pension Scheme, Central Assistance of Rs.75 per month is provided to women and men who are 65 years of age and above and have little or no regular means of subsistence from their own sources of income or through financial support from the family members. Under the National Family Benefit Scheme, Central Assistance of Rs.10,000 is extended to the bereaved family in the case of death of the primary breadwinner due to natural or accidental causes. Women are also beneficiaries under this Scheme.
(e) CRSP: The Restructured Centrally Sponsored Rural Sanitation Programme (RCRSP), which was launched with effect from 1st April, 1999, provides for the construction of sanitary latrines for rural households. Where individual household latrines are not feasible, provision exists for construction of village sanitary complexes exclusively for women, to ensure privacy/ dignity. Upto 10 percent of the allocated fund can be utilized for construction and maintenance of public latrines for women.
(f) ARWSP: Under the Rural Water Supply Programme, training is being afforded to women to enable them to play an active role in using and maintaining handpumps for the supply of drinking water. Women are also represented in Village Level Committees and are actively involved in the selection of sites for handpumps and other
sources.
(g) The erstwhile Scheme of Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA), now merged with the SGSY, was intended to raise the income level of women of poor households so as to enable organised participation by them in social development for economic self-reliance. The primary thrust was the formation of groups of 10-50 women from poor households at the village level for delivery of services like credit and skill training and cash and infrastructure support for selfemployment.
Strategies Adopted by Government of Tamil Nadu for Women Empowerment:
It was recognized that the main obstacles to empowerment has been the low level of educational attainments as well as poverty among women. Taking into account this fact, the Government of Tamil Nadu have framed various policies, designed specific interventions and implemented many programmes to eradicate poverty and to provide education to the vulnerable sections of the society.
Education of Women:
Education to women is the most powerful instrument of changing their position in the society. Education also brings about reduction in inequalities and also acts as a means to improve their status within the family. In order to encourage education of women at all levels and to dilute gender bias in the provision and acquaintance of education, schools, colleges and even niversities were established exclusively for women in the State. To bring more girl children, especially from marginalized BPL families, into the main stream of education, Government has been providing a package of concessions in the form of free supply of books, uniform, boarding and lodging, lothing for hostilities, mid-day meals, scholarships, free by-cycles and so on. The Mother Teresa Women University has been established for the development of Women Studies and to
encourage higher education among women and their social mobility.
Periyar EVR Nagammai Scheme:
Periyar EVR Nagammai Free Education Scheme has been implemented in the State from 1989-90 to women students irrespective of caste, creed and community to encourage their education and to reduce dropout rate. As per the scheme those students’ whose parental annual income is less than Rs.24,000/- are exempted from payment of tuition fees in under – graduate courses. During 2005-06, 8936 women students were benefited under this scheme. In 2006-07, a sum of Rs.65.00 lakhs has been allocated for this scheme.
Free Coaching Exclusively for Women Students:
To encourage and enable the women students to appear for the IAS/IPS examinations, the Government established two free coaching centers –one at Queen Mary’s College, Chennai and the other at Arulmigu Meenakshi Government College for Women, Madurai. In each center, 60 women students are being given free coaching.During the current year, the government has provided a sum of Rs.1.00 lakh for
implementing this scheme.
Entrepreneurship Awareness Programme (EAP):
In order to empower women, Science city has been organizing Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) and Entrepreneurship Awareness Programme (EAP) to bring out the talents of women and to make them stand on their own feet. To ascertain the status of women scientists, Science city has embarked upon the task of creating a data-base of women scientists in the entire State of Tamil Nadu. To encourage the women scientists, Science city has instituted Life Time Achievement Award and Young Women Scientist Awards. During 2005, five women scientists were awarded the Young Women Scientists Award.
Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of Women:
Tamil Nadu Corporation for development of women was established in 1983 which aims at the socio-economic empowerment of women? As a prelude, the Corporation is implementing the Mahalir Thittam among poor rural women to promote saving habits, nurture entrepreneurial skills and aptitudes, and promote exposure to banking transactions and to free them from the clutches of local moneylenders. The scheme is being implemented in partnership with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Banks. Under the scheme, SHGs are formed and monitored through NGOs affiliated with the Tamil Nadu Corporations for Development of Women, Ltd.
Women Empowerment and Income Generation Activities
The goal of Women Empowerment and Income Generation Activities (WE&IGA) is to create a community united for development, capable of planning, operate and managing need based development programs to overcome socio- economic problems.
Women Empowerment and IGA
Under the program poor women form village level self help groups are supported to strengthen unity, cooperation and buildup confidence to undertake development activities on its own in the long run. These groups work together to manage savings loans. With support of BRAC-NCU, AWAC provides training and others support to the groups to develop leadership, group management capacity and accounting skill and the groups are becoming empowered to make decisions regarding loan distribution and utilization under the Women Empowerment and IGA program.
Objectives of the program:
• Improve their situation
• Raise awareness on women and children’s rights, health and environmental issues.
• Mobilization for identification of locally available resources and services for effective utilization.
• Raise awareness for community mobilization for establishment of child rights and promote role of women.
• Organize women at the community level groups and create group savings for facing future problems.
Conclusion
According to the Effective Implementation & Utilization of Women Empowerment Programme in government of India to safeguard the interests of women authorizer to bring the effective implementation and utilization of social economic and political status of women in India.
Article by:
S. Shiny,
M. Phil Scholar (2008 – 2009 Batch),
Department of management studies & research,
Karpagam University,
Pollachi Road,
Eachanari post,
Coimbatore – 21
E-mail: s.shiiny04@gmail.com