In her speech The 3Ls of empowerment Christine Lagarde speaks about the importance of Learning, Labour and leadership in empowering women.Do Indian women get an equal space in the society? Prepare a write-up on the social, cultural and economic status of Indian women.
Answers
Answer:
EDUCATION IS THE KEY TO WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT- Dr.Sajeena Shukkoor
“If you educate a boy, you train a man. If you educate a girl, you train a village”.
Women’s education is the foundation upon which everything else must be
built.
Education elevates the status of people and helps them to break down the divides that separate and isolate in terms of gender, sex, caste, race and so on. At its best, education is a breaker of shackles—the shackles of exclusion and insularity. Without good quality education, one can still be at the starting point with severe disadvantage. Education has always opened the wide doors of opportunity.
According to the 2011 census, male literacy rate in India is 82.14% while female literacy rate is 65.46%. This low level of literacy has a negative impact on the lives of women and their families. Moreover it adversely affects the economic development of the country too. Numerous studies show that illiterate women have high levels of fertility and mortality, poor nutritional status, low earning potential, and little autonomy within the
household. A woman’s lack of education also has a negative impact on the health and well being of her children. For instance, a recent survey in India found that infant mortality was inversely related to mother’s educational level. The Government of India is committed to women’s empowerment as evident in the constitutional provisions. The Constitution guarantees to all Indian women equality (Article 14), no discrimination by the State (Article 15(1)), equality of opportunity (Article 16), and equal pay for equal work (Article 39(d)). In addition, it allows special provisions to be made by the State in
favour of women and children (Article 15(3)), renounces practices derogatory to the dignity of women (Article 51(A) (e)), and also allows for provisions to be made by the State for securing just and humane conditions of work and for maternity relief (Article 42).