S.V.K.P Dr.K.S. Raju Arts&Science College Hallticket No.:314283920004 CH - Ramya
S.V.K.P Dr.K.S. Raju Arts&Science College Hallticket No.:314283920004 CH - Ramya
S.V.K.P Dr.K.S. Raju Arts&Science College Hallticket No.:314283920004 CH - Ramya
Hallticket No.:314283920004
CH.RAMYA
WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
ABSTRACT
Women's empowerment has become a significant topic of discussion
in development and economics. It can also point to approaches regarding
other trivialized genders in a particular political or social context.
Barriers
Many of the barriers to women's empowerment and equity lie ingrained in cultural
norms. Many women feel these pressures, while others have become
accustomed to being treated inferior to men. Even if men, legislators, NGOs, etc.
are aware of the benefits women's empowerment and participation can have,
many are scared of disrupting the status quo and continue to let societal
norms get in the way of development.
Research shows that the increasing access to the internet can also result in an
increased exploitation of women. Releasing personal information on websites
has put some women's personal safety at risk. In 2010, Working to Halt Online
Abuse stated that 73% of women were victimized through such sites . Types of
victimization include cyber stalking, harassment, online pornography,
and flaming. Sexual harassment in particular is a large barrier for women in the
workplace. It appears in almost all industries, but is most notable in the following:
business, trade, banking and finance, sales and marketing, hospitality, civil
service, and education, lecturing and teaching. According to the International
Labour Organisation (ILO), sexual harassment is a clear form of gender
discrimination based on sex, a manifestation of unequal power relations between
men and women. Furthermore, the UN Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is urging for increased
measures of protection for women against sexual harassment and violence in the
workplace. 54% (272) had experienced some form of workplace sexual
harassment. 79% of the victims are women; 21% were men.
Recent studies also show that women face more barriers in the workplace than
do men. Gender-related barriers involve sexual harassment, unfair hiring
practices, career progression, and unequal pay where women are paid less than
men are for performing the same job. When taking the median earnings of men
and women who worked full-time, year-round, government data from 2014
showed that women made $0.79 for every dollar a man earned. The average
earnings for working mothers came out to even less$0.71 for every dollar a
father made, according to a 2014 study conducted by the National Partnership
for Women and Children. While much of the public discussion of the "wage gap"
has focused around women getting equal pay for the same work as their male
peers, many women struggle with what is called the "pregnancy penalty". The
main problem is that it is difficult to measure, but some experts say that the
possibility of having a baby can be enough for employers to push women back
from their line. Therefore, women are put in a position where they need to make
the decision of whether to maintain in the workforce or have children. This
problem has sparked the debate over maternity leave in the United States.
However, despite the struggle for equal pay in the United States, the tech
industry has made progress in helping to encourage equal pay across gender. In
March 2016, tech career website Dice released a study of more than 16,000 tech
professionals that found that when you compare equivalent education,
experience and position, there is no pay gapand hasn't been for the last six
years. This new industry is paving a way for other companies to do the same.
However, this industry also struggles to employ women in executive positions.
This is partially due to the barrier of sexual harassment and pregnancy that was
aforementioned.
Measurement
Women empowerment can be measured through the Gender Empowerment
Measure (GEM), which shows women's participation in a given nation, both
politically and economically. GEM is calculated by tracking "the share of seats
in parliament held by women; of female legislators, senior officials and
managers; and of female profession and technical workers; and the gender
disparity in earned income, reflecting economic independence". It then ranks
countries given this information. Other measures that take into account the
importance of female participation and equality include: the Gender Parity
Index and the Gender-related Development Index (GDI).