A study of the household domain and Empowerment of women

Abstract

The subordinate position of women is embedded within the socially newlineconstructed gender roles assigned to them Empowerment of women is the newlineprocess of liberation from such subordination and achieving equity with men newlineSince social conditioning of women and reproduction of conditioned behaviour newlinetake place mostly within the household domain the process of empowerment newlineshould be associated with redefining the social equations within the household newlineEmpowerment has been conceptualized as the process of development newlineof critical consciousness about deprivation which is generated from newlineethnocentric and or sociocentric causes This process helps to internalize and newlineanalyse the causes of deprivation and to confront the reality with organized newlineaction The question of deprivation is generally examined by some yardstick for newlineequality It is argued that the capability approach is the most appropriate to newlineanalyse and understand gender based inequality particularly in the context of newlinethe rural women The household plays a very crucial role in augmenting newlinecapability of women leading to their empowerment