Concept and Types of Women Empowerment
[Abstract] Global empowerment of women is a new concept. Since the second half of the twentieth century, the issue of women's empowerment has gained importance among scholars of universities, and in national and international platforms. But the concept was not deeply ingrained into the governments' policies and programs until the declaration of the 'Women's Decade' in 1975. Though the Indian Government endowed franchise to all its citizens irrespective of caste, creed, sex, and color immediately after Independence, it was confined mainly in papers while the majority of women were essentially powerless until the last decade of previous century. Considering their low socio economic position, scholars, bureaucrats, and governments have begun to pay considerable attention in empowering women. Because of India's feudal society, the pace of advancement of women remains tardy. This article addresses the challenges and realities of this situation. It calls for government, political decision makers, NGOs, and other actors to come forward to ensure women's all round development for making India a developed country.