What are the biggest challenges to women’s empowerment in your community or around the world?
The Indian written constitution acts as an armour in ensuring rights for females inside the country. Several changes made to the Indian constitution also played a vital role in empowering women. Here are some significant amendments: 73rd Amendment Act (1992): reserved one-third of seats for wRead more
The Indian written constitution acts as an armour in ensuring rights for females inside the country. Several changes made to the Indian constitution also played a vital role in empowering women. Here are some significant amendments:
- 73rd Amendment Act (1992): reserved one-third of seats for women in rural local bodies, empowering women at the grass-roots level.
- 74th Amendment Act (1992): Reserved one-third seats for women in urban local bodies, thus ensuring their involvement.
- 86th Amendment Act (2002): Made education a fundamental right and thus indirectly empowered women through girls’ education.
- 102nd Amendment Act (2018): Provided constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) on issues concerning social and educational backwardness, among other issues faced by backward classes, including women.
- 103rd Amendment Act (2019): Offers 10% reservation for economically weaker sections (EWS) in higher educational institutions and government jobs, thereby benefiting many poor girls from needy homes.
- 128th Amendment Bill 2023: Reserves one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies, and the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi for women.
Thus, collectively, these amendments are motivated by women’s empowerment and rights.
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First and foremost the patriarchal mindset needs to be dealt with. In our community or in any community per say, the ultra misogyny which primarily takes you to the stereotype of 'Alpha male hood' or 'phallocentrism' is a big challenge. And this is so contagious that even women are its victims. WomeRead more
First and foremost the patriarchal mindset needs to be dealt with. In our community or in any community per say, the ultra misogyny which primarily takes you to the stereotype of ‘Alpha male hood‘ or ‘phallocentrism‘ is a big challenge. And this is so contagious that even women are its victims. Women often believe that their empowerment is when the ‘man’ of the family does well in the society. So how to break this? Of course, education. And that poses the next challenge- Lack of education for women. Overall education for all may have seen a rise, but still in many villages and the remotest corners, education for women is considered a luxury. They are forced to do household chores rather. And if they want to go against the norms? That brings the next issue, violence against women. Women are subject to violence in the form of sexual assault, domestic violence and what not. To get over these challenges, a person needs huge self belief and hunger.
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