Women Welfare and Empowerment in India

Book excerpt: In India, policies and programs at different levels of the government cover various dimensions and strategies in gender development. Over the years, efforts have been made to empower women socially, economically, and politically. However, due to a lack of synergy and coordination, the achievements are not satisfactory. It is imperative that an integrated policy and strategy be formulated to address the economic, social, and political issues related to women, along with the requisite programs and schemes. Though India has created protective legislations for women, the enactments have not been easy to implement. The vastness of the country, the scattered nature of women workers, their lack of education and legal literacy, and the indifferent attitude of government bureaucracy have all contributed to the continuing vulnerability of women. This is true not only for unorganized rural women, but also for urban women workers. Although the constitutional commitments to women find reflections in the planning processes, legislation, policies, and programs of the central and state governments, the current socio-economic status of women is unsatisfactory in terms of almost all important indicators of human development. Women, Welfare and Empowerment in India contains research papers by social scientists and academics from different parts of India, focusing on specific gender-related issues. The collection provides valuable information for researchers, non-governmental orgainzations, and government agencies and functionaries. It contains 42 contributions related to women issues, categorized into the following six themed parts: Health, Nutrition, and Fertility of Women . Education and Training of Women . Employment of Women . Self-help Groups and Empowerment of Women . Problems of Rural Women . Women, Media, Politics, and Human Rights.