Description
New Century Publications Women Empowerment in India Political Eonomic and Social by Mousumi Ghatak
The passage of the Women Reservation Bill, 2023 in the special session of the Parliament (from September 18 to 22, 2023) was a landmark development in the post-Independence history of India. President Droupadi Murmu signed the bill on September 28, 2023, and the gazette notification was also published the same day. According to the new arrangement, 33 percent seats in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies are now reserved for women. Similarly, Seventy-third and Seventy-fourth Constitutional Amendments in 1992 had provided for reservation of seats for women in rural and urban local bodies. Empowerment of women has been a leading objective of state policy in India ever since the attainment of Independence in 1947. The principle of gender equality is enshrined in the Indian Constitution in its Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Fundamental Duties and Directive Principles of State Policy. The Constitution not only grants equality to women, but also empowers the state to adopt measures of positive discrimination in favour of women.After 76 years of Independence, a good number of women do enjoy high status but countless women still continue to occupy a lonely, disadvantaged and humiliating position at the base of the pyramid. The emancipation of women and the achievement of full equality between sexes must always be the primary objective of any society.The present work explains and examines various aspects of women empowerment in India. It contains 15 chapters which have been organized into 4 theme parts. Part I (chapters 1 to 3) is titled Constitutional, Legal and Institutional Arrangements for Women Empowerment in India. Chapter 1 is historical in nature, explaining the status of women in ancient India, medieval India and modern India. Chapter 2 is devoted to Constitutional and legal safeguards for women. Chapter 3 explains institutional framework for women welfare and development. Part II (chapters 4 to 6) is titled Politico-legal Empowerment of Women. Chapter 4 explains the reservation of seats for women in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. Chapter 5 deals with reservation of seats for women in rural and urban local bodies. Chapter 6 examines the role of women in decision-making. Part III (chapters 7 to 10) is titled Economic Empowerment of Women. Chapter 7 deals with women empowerment through entrepreneurship. Chapter 8 examines the role of women in agriculture and environmental protection. Chapter 9 is devoted to gender budgeting in India. Chapter 10 explains lenient provisions for women in tax laws. Part IV (chapters 11 to 15) is titled Social Empowerment of Women. Chapter 11 explains and examines trends in male-female ratio (sex ratio) of population in India. Chapter 12 deals with disadvantaged and vulnerable groups of women. Chapter 13 is devoted to women education, training and skill development. Chapter 14 pertains to protection of the girl child. Chapter 15 relates to women and media.