Contrast Between Women Empowerment and Hidden Issues of Women Folks in India

Abstract

This paper tried to explore the contrast between empowerment and hidden issues of Indian women folks. We are all well aware that empowering women means providing all sorts of facilities in order to achieve in all fields equal to men folks. Both Central and State Governments have been implementing many more programmes to empower women in India. But rural illiterate women have already acquired some sort of managerial skills and leading happy and contented life. In the name of empowerment we are trying to expose women folks in India don’t have ability to lead life comparing to the men. Educated women have been empowering with education and serving in all fields equal to men. Both of these are achieving a lot after facing many more problems. It is a myth that educated women are leading happy life and uneducated are facing problems because of empowerment. “Women empowerment can also be called gender empowerment. Women empowerment has five components: women’s sense of self worth; their right to have and determine choices; their right to have opportunities and resources; their right to have the power to control their own lives both within and outside the house; and their ability to influence the direction of social change to create a more just social and economic order, nationally and internationally” (UN’s Guidelines to Women’s Empowerment). Both have been facing problems even though they have capacity to lead independent life. Rural illiterate women folks have sharp managerial skills in domestic and workplace where ever they are working. Most of such women folks deprived with one or the other reasons but it does not mean that they are weak and unable to lead life. In the same way educated women are able to lead life with their education and facing many challenges in workplace. The managerial skills are sharp and good comparing to the men. It can be seen in coastal region and Karnataka and some parts of Kerala state where there is female dominated society. With the help of managerial skills women folks are showing their knowledge and intelligence in male dominated society and leading life. Empowered women folks are facing many emotional and physical problems but all these are invisible because they are more concentrating on their work. Such emotional and physical problems are intentionally hidden by them. It is some sort of sacrifice in male dominated society. She is ignoring tortures, coping with stress, hiding body ailments, family problems and moreover biological problems. Male dominated society is expecting quality service and uninterrupted work schedule. Coping with many problems women folks are showing their excellent performance, dedication, prompt service with smiling face. Is it not a contrast between empowerment and hidden issues related to women in India?