Women Empowerment in Urban India: A Study of Working Women Professionals in Delhi

Anu Singh Lather, Shilpa Jain, Sona Vikas

Vol 10 , Issue 2 , July - December 2009 | Pages: 1-15 | Research Paper

https://doi.org/10.51768/dbr.v10i2.102200911

Author Details ( * ) denotes Corresponding author

1. * Anu Singh Lather, Dean, University School of Management Studies, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi, India (anusinghlathe@gmail.com)

2. Shilpa Jain, Lecturer, University School of Management Studies, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi, India

3. Sona Vikas, Research Associate, University School of Management Studies, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi, India

There have been significant advances for women in many parts of India in relation to health, education and employment over the past decade. However, the persistent, and in some cases, increasing incidence of violence against women; the underrepresentation of women in decision- making in all areas and at all levels; the persistence of discriminatory laws governing marriage, land, property and inheritance; and the fact that women continue to be disproportionately affected by poverty, is unacceptable in this new millennium. In addition, new challenges for women’s empowerment and gender equality have emerged over the past decade, such as combating HIV/AIDS, addressing trafficking in women and girls, and mobilizing the new information and communication technologies (ICT) in support of gender equality and women’s empowerment. Even in areas where progress has been made, there is still much room for improvement. This study is an attempt to measure the extent to which working women professionals in the National Capital Region (NCR) Delhi, the capital of India feel that they are empowered in critical areas like educational attainment, economic opportunity, health and well-being, decision making, sexual harassment and abuse, and autonomy. The research methodology consists of preparing the empirical design for research in terms of a sample of 92 working women professionals in academics and industry in both public and private sector.

Keywords

Empowerment, Freedom, Life choices, Decision Making.

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