Conceptualising Empowerment of Women and the Gandhian Perspective: Towards Equitable Development

Snehalata Panda

The IUP Journal of Governance and Public Policy, 2006, vol. I, issue 3, 36-52

Abstract: Empowerment of women has been the focus of government policy since 1990s. Economic and political empowerments are the twin processes operated through governmental effort. But the concept of empowerment includes a wide array of facets in a situation of comprehensive social development, which is analogous to Mahatma Gandhi’s concept of “Sarvodaya”. Women’s emancipation in India had an indigenous component being pioneered by rational men, which metamorphosed in due course of time into a movement by involvement of more and more women addressing the contemporary problems of the Indian society and also drawing inspiration from similar struggles abroad. The movement thereby acquired Western characteristics but the concept of empowerment made it more rational. About 90 years ago Gandhi advocated similar views exhorting women to realise their potential and work as a collectivity for social transformation. Though many of his ideas relating to women’s economic and political participation are not women-friendly, yet his concepts of self-esteem, self-realisation, selfless service as a collectivity are the keys to justice for all human beings irrespective of their being men or women, which is the sine qua non of good governance.

Date: 2006
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:icf:icfjgp:v:01:y:2006:i:3:p:36-52

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