What Does Women's Empowerment Mean?
Women's empowerment refers to women gaining power and control over their own lives, women taking actions that allow them to make decisions for themselves, women having opportunities to develop or reach their full potential in society, women being able to participate equally with men, women gaining access and control over resources (material, human and information), women having equitable decision-making power within all aspects of their life; women attaining the ability to live without fear of violence. Seems like a reasonable aspiration for humanity!
Women's empowerment is not a static concept but rather an ongoing process of change. Over history women have gained more rights and choices in many areas of life through political means as well as through campaigning for civil rights. At times these gains have been eroded through political decisions or through force.
When women's rights are seen as taking power or opportunity away from men, women's empowerment becomes politicized. Feminists are labelled as women trying to gain power over men. Some women oppose women's rights out of a belief that women should be subservient to men or an opposition based on religious beliefs that women should obey their husbands and that women should remain in the home.
Women's movements are regularly attacked or disparaged in many parts of the world. For example, women who are members of women's organizations may be accused of being manipulated by a feminist movement to undermine national values, incited against men and male authority figures and 'made' to abandon their families or husbands.
Sadly, men who support women's rights may be seen as un-masculine, homosexual or anti-religion. Even women themselves have been known to describe those who speak out for women as enemies.
Multiple barriers prevent women from reaching their full potential, including economic, social, political and cultural barriers. Addressing these issues must happen at multiple levels if we are to achieve women's empowerment.
In some cases governments may need to create laws or policies such as providing paid maternity leave, or ensuring childcare is available for parents who work so women can afford to enter the formal workforce. This is also crucial so children have access to early education opportunities where they can reach their full potential. Without this support women often feel they have no option other than to leave their home country and seek education or a job opportunity overseas.
Women's empowerment is achieved by women making choices about how they live their lives. Efforts to support women in this process of action include encouraging women to join women's organizations, forming alliances between women (and potentially men's) groups who share common goals, providing access to information through the internet or media for example and ensuring that women are able confirm whether certain rights are being protected such as their right to vote; if domestic violence is considered a crime; if parents are legally responsible for the care of children regardless of gender etc.
The feminist movement has been instrumental in raising public awareness about women's issues over many decades but now it is up to individual women themselves who must take action and make choices that empower them.
The women's movement also includes women who choose not to identify as feminist, women who do not consider women's rights to be their primary concern and women who may feel they have no need for activism. When women work together towards a common cause women's empowerment is often the result of this collaboration. They gain self-confidence, influence over resources and status within society and an ability to participate equally with men in decisions concerning their lives. Women are able to contribute fully to political or economic progress by gaining access into public life – including decision-making roles both at home and within the broader community.
Women's empowerment makes the world a better place for everyone. It's worth fighting for!