B.Sc NURSING IV YEAR

1. PRESENTED BY:
Mrs. DEVA PON PUSHPAM.I,
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR.

2. INTRODUCTION
 Empowerment means individuals acquiring the power
to think and act freely, exercises choice and fulfil their
potential as an equal members of society.
 According to United Nations Development Fund for
Women, the term women empowerment means
‘acquiring knowledge and understanding of gender
relations and the ways in which these relations may be
changed, developing a sense of self worth, gaining
ability to generate choices, ability to influence the
social change, economic order, etc.’
 Indian constitution honoured women as legal citizens
of the country and have equal rights like men.

3. DEFINITION
 Empowerment refers to a psychological sense of
personal control or influence and a concern with
actual social influence, political power and legal
rights. Its a multilevel construct referring to
individuals, organizations and community.
 Women empowerment refers to all the necessary
efforts taken to improve and strengthen the women’s
status in various aspects of life, like social, economical,
political and legal to ensure equal right to women and
enhance confidence in them to claim their rights.

4. STATUS OF WOMEN
 Sex ratio: 943 females: 1000 males. This help identifying
the level of extent of equality between males and females
in a region at a given point of time.
 Nutrition and feeding of girl baby: The discrimination
starts from birth and continues until graveyard.
 Education: Indian constitution assures free primary
schooling to everyone up to 14 years of age. But in many
families girl children were not sent to school due to various
reasons.
 Wages for women and men: Women are paid less than
men. In most countries women get paid only 60-75% of
men’s wages.

5. Contd.,
 Child marriage: UNFPA stated that more than 140
million girls become child bride between 2011 – 2020.
 Dowry system: Most families feel that the girl
children are the ‘pain in the eyes – big burden’ since
they need to spend such a lot of money for her
marriage.
 Sexual violence: Around 120 million girls worldwide
have experienced forced sexual acts at some point in
their lives. Everyday around 5 women are raped and 10
are molested in Delhi.

6. GOVERNMENT ENACTMENTS
The Hindu Widow Re-marriage Act of 1856 : This act
allowed widow to remarry and enjoy all the rights
which a married woman did.
The Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929 : Under this
act the minimum marriageable age of women was fixed
to 15 years and later increased up to 18 years.
The Hindu Women’s Right to Property Act of 1937:
This act recognized a widow of a deceased person as a
surviving personality with the same right in the joint
property. So the women in the Hindu society received
the property right to a limited extent.

7. Contd.,
The Hindu Marriage Act of 1955 : This act has recognized
an equal rights of men and women in the matter of
marriage and divorce.
The Hindu Succession Act of 1956 : This act recognized
an equal right for women in the matter of inheritance of
property. She can inherit the property of her father along
with her brothers.
The Suppression of Immoral Traffic in Women and
Girls Act of 1956 – 57 : Main objective of this act are to
reduce the scope of prostitution and to reform
prostitution under this act.
The Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961 : This act is to abolish
giving and taking dowry (valuable property or thing) at
the time of marriage

8. NATIONAL POLICY FOR
EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN (2001)
 The goals of this policy is to bring about the advancement,
development and empowerment of women.
 The objectives include:
Creating environment through positive economic and
social policies for full development of women to enable
them to realize their full potential.
All human rights and fundamental freedom by women on
equal basis with men in all spheres political, economic,
social, cultural and civil.
Equal access to participation and decision making of
women in social, political and economic life of the nation.

9. Contd.,
 Equal access to health care, quality education at all levels, career
and vocational guidance, employment, equal remuneration,
occupational health and safety, social security, public office, etc.
 Strengthening legal systems aimed at elimination of all forms of
discrimination against women.
 Changing societal attitudes and community practices by active
participation and involvement of both men and women.
 Mainstreaming a gender perspective in the development process.
 Elimination of discrimination and all forms of violence against
women and girl child.
 Building and strengthening partnerships with civil society,
particularly women’s organizations.

10. NATIONAL MISSION FOR
EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN (NMEW)
 NMEW was launched by the Government of India on
International Women’s day in 2010 with the aim to
strengthen overall processes that promote all round
development of women.
 NMEW will achieve gender equality and gender justice and
holistic development of women through intersectoral
convergence of programmes relating to women, forging
synergy between various stakeholders and creating an
enabling environment conducive to social change.

11. Focus area of the mission:
 Access to health, drinking water, sanitation and hygiene
facilities for women.
 Coverage to all girls especially those belonging to
vulnerable groups in schools from primary to class 12th.
 Higher and professional education for girls / women.
 Skill development, micro credit, vocational training,
entrepreneurship, self help group development.
 Gender sensitization and dissemination of information.
 Taking steps to prevent crime against women and taking
steps for a safe environment for women.