Mains Practice Questions

Introduction:

Women’s empowerment refers to the process of enhancing women’s ability to participate fully and equally in political, economic, social, and cultural life. In India, empowerment is both a constitutional promise and a developmental necessity, central to achieving inclusive growth and social justice. Over the decades, India has witnessed significant progress in education, health, and political participation of women. Yet, deep-rooted structural and cultural barriers continue to limit their full realization.

Body :

The key factors driving women’s empowerment in India

• Increasing Female Literacy: India's female literacy rate was projected at around 70.3% in 2025, showing a steady upward trend thanks to government schemes like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao.
• Rising Workforce Participation: Female labour force participation rate has shown encouraging growth, reaching 41.7% in 2023-24, up from under 30% a decade ago.
• Entrepreneurship and Economic Independence: Women-led Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) have nearly doubled over the last decade to about 1.92 crore enterprises in 2023-24.
• Political Representation: Women’s representation in local governance remains robust, with nearly 46% of elected representatives at the Panchayati Raj Institutions being women, supported by several state-level provisions for up to 50% reservation.
  • The landmark Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (2023) mandates a 33% reservation for women in Parliament and State Assemblies, currently awaiting implementation post-delimitation.
• Health and Safety Improvements: Key health indicators for women have improved, with the maternal mortality rate declining to 97 per 100,000 live births and institutional deliveries reaching over 88%.
• Legal and Social Reforms: Laws like the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, Nirbhaya Act, and amendments to sexual harassment laws provide legal support and deterrence, although enforcement gaps remain.
• Cultural and Societal Shifts: Campaigns on gender equality and women's rights are slowly redefining cultural expectations and encouraging self-confidence among women.

The major barriers that continue to impede its full realization

• Labour Force Exclusion and Informalisation: Over 90% of working women are in the informal sector, lacking social security and career growth, while India's female labour force participation remains nearly half that of men and below the global average of 48.7%.
• Political Underrepresentation and Tokenism: Women hold only about 14% of seats in Parliament (18th Lok Sabha), with even fewer in state legislatures.
  • Political power is further diluted by practices like the “sarpanch-pati” system, where male relatives act on behalf of elected women.
• Health Inequality and Gendered Neglect: Despite improvements, systemic health barriers persist. NFHS-5 reports 57% of women aged 15–49 are anaemic, contributing to poor physical well-being.
• Educational Disparities and Skill Disconnect: While enrollment has increased, learning outcome gaps, high dropout rates, and underrepresentation in STEM remain challenges.
• Digital and Infrastructure Exclusion: The NSO survey reveals that 51.6% of women aged 15 years and above in rural areas do not own a mobile phone, highlighting a significant digital gender divide.
• Socio-Cultural Patriarchy and Stereotypes: Entrenched patriarchal norms restrict women’s choices around education, careers, and personal freedoms.
• Gender-Based Violence and Safety Concerns: With over 445,000 cases reported in 2022, crimes against women, including domestic violence, sexual assault, and dowry deaths, remain pervasive.

Conclusion:

To achieve true equality (SDG 5), persistent barriers must be addressed via holistic policies such as gender budgeting, quality education, accessible healthcare, and robust infrastructure. As Jawaharlal Nehru famously noted, “To awaken the people, it is the women who must be awakened. Once she is on the move, the family moves, the village moves, the nation moves.”