EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN

FOR ENDING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN Made By: POOJA MALHOTRA UPES--DEHRADUN

DEFINITION

• •

BIASNESS AGAINST WOMEN -- DEFINED “Any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women and girls, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivations of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life”.

Violence against women and girls is on the increase .

More violent forms, such as



gang rapes, abductions, defilement and forced early marriages,



Military sexual slavery, rape as a weapon of war, trafficking in women and girls and



ill-treatment of widows have become more widespread.

• There is a palpable feeling that legislation alone is not enough to achieve equality in Africa, that it is not sufficient to change perceptions, or cultures of sexism – the types of cultures which are permissive to gendered violence happening. Even with an increasing number of women in parliament in some of the countries and increasing legislation to prevent discrimination and violence on the basis of gender, a culture of masculinity prevails. Why is that?

Unequal power relationships continues

EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN TO END VAW- WHAT CAN WE DO?

• • 1. Obtaining data on violence against women – use these to show the economic and social cost of VAW as well as emotional and psychological impact on the affected person 2..It is important that the extent, nature and root causes of such violence are well-documented. By analyzing such information, concrete steps can be taken, both legal and charitable, to reduce the occurrence of such violence and reduce its effects.

• • 3. Increase access to opportunities for women- empower women to avoid abusive relationships - empower women, free them to leave behind abusive relationships 4. Build capabilities of women- including physical capabilities/ create awareness/ prevention programmes/ crisis counselling & support groups

• 5. Make ending VAW every one’s concern; everyone’s business: The boys in your life need your time and energy. Your son, grandson, nephew, younger brother, your male colleague. The boys you teach, coach and mentor. All need you to help them grow into healthy men. The girls in your life what are you teaching them above all what do they see!

• • • THE UN has identified violence against women and girls "the most pervasive" human rights violation that we know today. Statistics from the world over, paint a clear picture of the social and health consequences of violence against women. According to the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), violence against women is a major cause of death and disability for women aged 16 to 44 years The economic costs are considerable. Such violence impoverishes not only individuals, but families, communities, and governments, and stalls economic development of each nation

• • • • •

How do you empower someone like this?

Paulo Freire speaks about conscientisation process: Identify the individual Engage in dialogue/ Reflection Lead to Action Is your Neighbour, your sister, your friend being abused? How do you engage to facilitate empowerment?

Place of women in Indian society: A (cultural) historical perspective

• • • • • The Goddess (Devi) The mother The sister The wife The tawaif

Indian Women in Modern Times

Education  Literacy ›

Gender gaps:



Differences across states

 

rural and urban areas for boys going to

1971 1991 2003 Female 22% 39% 48% Male 46% 64% 70%



Indian Women in Modern Times

Education ▫ Gender gaps in higher education     About 1 percent of total women population has college education Women account for a third of the students at college/university level In engineering and business, the proportion of female students is much smaller In education, nearly half of the students are women

Indian Women in Modern Times

Barriers to Female Education ▫ Poverty: one-fourth of India’s population lives below the poverty line (2002) ▫ Social values and parental preferences ▫ Inadequate school facilities ▫ Shortage of female teachers: 29 percent at the primary level and 22 percent at the university level (1993) ▫ Gender bias in curriculum

Indian Women in Modern Times

Employment ▫ Difficult to get an overall picture of employment among women in India ▫ Most women work in the informal sector ▫ Women accounted for only 23 percent of the total workers in the formal sector in 1991 ▫ The number of female workers has increased faster than the number of male workers ▫ Female unemployment rates are similar to male unemployment rates

Indian Women in Modern Times

Barriers to Female Employment ▫ Cultural Restrictions  Hierarchical society (caste system)  Purdah system: the veiling and seclusion of women ▫ Discrimination at Workplace  More prevalent in fields where male competition is high  Less prevalent in fields where competition is low ▫ Lack of employment opportunities

Indian Women in Modern Times

Empowerment • Social Empowerment ▫ Education  There is no direct relationship between education and work force participation; but may affect their participation in household decision making ▫ Economic Independence:    Economic independence does not imply significant improvement in social standing Culture and tradition play an important role A small fraction has opened up towards Western values

“The origin of a child is a mother, a woman. ….she shows a man what sharing, caring, and loving is all about. That is the essence of a woman."

Sushmita Sen, Miss Universe 1994

Women and Legal Framework

Women specific Legislations   Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 The Maternity Benefit Act 1961     The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 Indecent Representation (Prohibition) Act, 1986 of Women The Commission of Sati (Prevention)Act, 1987 Protection of Women Violence Act, 2005 from Domestic

Evolution of Indian Initiatives

Seventh

Plan

• •

1985

Ministry Development set up Department for of Human Women and Resource Child Development constituted in HRD Ministry

27 major women specific schemes

identified for monitoring to assess quantum of funds/benefits flowing to women

Eighth Plan

• “ • The Eighth Plan (1992-97) for the first time highlighted the need to ensure a definite flow of funds from general developmental sectors to women It commented: … special programmes on women should complement the general development programmes. The latter in turn should reflect greater gender sensitivity ”

Ninth Plan

  

Women’s Component Plan

were sought to be ear-marked in all women related sectors – inter-sectoral review and multi-sector approach - 30% of funds Special vigil to be kept on the flow of the earmarked funds/benefits Quantifies performance under Women’s Component Plan in Ninth Plan-Approach Paper Tenth Plan indicates 42.9% of gross budgetary support in 15 women related Ministries/Departments has gone to women

Tenth Plan

 •

Reinforces commitment to gender budgeting to establish its gender-differential impact and to translate gender commitments into budgetary commitments.

Aims at initiating immediate action in tying up the two effective concepts of Women Component Plan (WCP) and Gender Budgeting to play a complementary role to each other, and thus ensure both preventive and post-facto action in enabling women to receive their rightful share from all the women-related general development sectors.

Holistic approach to Empowerment

Water & San.

Health

& Nut.

Education Skills Political Participation Asset base Marketing Technology Credit

Action Areas

• • • • • • Women

availing services

like road transport, power, water and sanitation, telecommunication etc.

of public utilities

Training

of women as highly skilled workers top end skills

Research/Technology

for women Women in the work force

Asset ownership

by women Women as

Entrepreneurs

• • Implementation of Laws like ▫ Equal remuneration ▫ Minimum Wages ▫ Factories Act Infrastructure for women like ▫ Water and sanitation at workplace ▫ Creches ▫ Working Women Hostels ▫ Transport services ▫ Security

2005-06 National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3)

Gender Inequality and Women’s Empowerment

Are some women more likely than others to NOT participate in the use of their earnings?

Percent of currently married women 39 21 21 21 13 10 6 8 15-19 40-49 Urban Rural None 12+ Lowest Highest Age Residence Education Wealth Index

Percentage of women age 15-49 who are allowed to go alone to:

Market 51 Health facility Places outside the village/community All three places 33 38 48 None of the three places 4 The majority of women have little freedom of movement. Only one-third go alone to all three destinations: the market, health facility and outside the village or community.

Percentage who agree that a husband is justified in hitting or beating his wife if she: Shows disrespect for in-laws He suspects she is unfaithful Doesn’t cook properly Refuses to have sex Argues with him Neglects the house or children Goes out without telling him At least one reason 37 41 13 20 24 25 8 14 26 30 29 35 23 29 Women 51 54 Men

Key Findings

• Women are disadvantaged absolutely and relative to men in terms of access to education, media exposure, and employment for cash.

• The majority of married women do not have the final say on the use of their own earnings or all other household decisions asked about.

• Traditional gender norms, particularly those concerning wife beating, remain strongly entrenched.

•

The answer to ending violence against women is first and foremost based on unequal power relations…The answer to end violence lies with you as it is such a complex issue

To Conclude



“It is more important to create a general

awareness’ and understanding of the problems of women’s employment in all the top policy and decision making and executive personnel.

There is also the special problem facing women like the preference for male children for social and cultural reasons. This will require awareness, understanding and action.

The best way to do so is to educate the children, orient the teachers, examine the text books and teaching-aids and ensure that the next generation grows up with new thinking.”

(6 th Five Year Plan )

Thank You