Empowerment of Women
The subject of empowerment of women has becoming a burning issue all over the world including India since last few decades. Many agencies of United Nations in their reports have emphasized that gender issue is to be given utmost priority. It is held that women now cannot be asked to wait for any more for equality.
Inequalities between men and women and discrimination against women have also been age-old issues all over the world. Thus, women’s quest for equality with man is a universal phenomenon.
Women want to have for themselves the same strategies of change which men folk have had over the centuries such as equal pay for equal work. They have demanded equality with men in matters of education, employment, inheritance, marriage, and politics.A long struggle going back over a century has brought women the property rights, voting rights, an equality in civil rights before the law in matters of marriage and employment .
In addition to the above rights, in India, the customs of purdha , female infanticide, child marriage, sati system , dowry system and the state of permanent widowhood were either totally removed or checked to an appreciable extent after independence through legislative measures.
Two Acts have also been enacted to emancipate women in India. These are: Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 and the Compulsory Registration of Marriage Act, 2006. The Domestic Violence Act recognizes that abuse be physical as well as mental. The Act is applicable on all women irrespective of caste, creed or religion. It would truly empower Indian women to exercise their rights.
Women are playing bigger and bigger role in economic field. We can now see women in almost every field: architecture, lawyers, financial services, engineering, medical and IT jobs. They have also entered service occupations such as a nurse, a beautician, a sales worker, a waitress, etc.
They are increasingly and gradually seen marching into domains...