Page 1 of 6

Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

Available at

http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/

ISSN: 2395-0463

Volume 04 Issue 04

April 2018

Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 230

Social Policy and Women Empowerment in

India

Keshari Nandan Mishra

Associate Professor, Department of History, H. N. B. Government P.G. College,

Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract

Social policy is a term which is applied to various areas of policy, usually within a governmental

or political setting. It can refer to guidelines, principles, legislation and activities that affect the

living conditions conducive to human welfare. The Department of Social Policy at the London

School of Economics defines social policy as "an interdisciplinary and applied subject

concerned with the analysis of societies' responses to social need". The earliest example of direct

intervention by government in human welfare dates back to Umar Ibn al-Khattab's rule as the

second caliph of Islam in the 6th century. He used zakah collections and also other governmental

resources to establish pensions, income support, child benefits, and various stipends for people

of the non-Muslim community.

Keywords: Social Policy, Women Empowerment, Human welfare, Legislation, Pension

Introduction

Social policy in the 21st century is complex

and in each state it is subject to local,

national and supranational political

influence. For example, membership of the

European Union is conditional on member

states' adherence to the Social Chapter of

European Union law and other international

laws.

Empowerment is a complex concept with

multiple interpretations in different context.

In the broadest terms, it refers to increasing

the economic, political, social, educational,

gender, or spiritual strength of an entity or

entities

Women's empowerments have long been

declared a key policy goal of numerous

international agencies. In the Universal

Declaration of Human Rights,

discriminatory access to rights on the basis

of sex was enshrined as a human rights

violation. Since, then both the Cairo

Conference on Population and

Development, the Beijing Platform for

Action and the Millennium Development

Goals have affirmed the need to strengthen

women's empowerment world-wide.

India has also ratified various international

conventions and human rights instruments

committing to secure equal rights of women.

Key among them is the ratification of the

Convention on Elimination of All Forms of

Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)

in 1993.

Page 2 of 6

Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

Available at

http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/

ISSN: 2395-0463

Volume 04 Issue 04

April 2018

Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 231

The Mexico Plan of Action (1975), the

Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies (1985),

the Beijing Declaration as well as the

Platform for Action (1995) and the Outcome

Document adopted by the UNGA Session on

Gender Equality and Development & Peace

for the 21st century, titled "Further actions

and initiatives to implement the Beijing

Declaration and the Platform for Action"

have been unreservedly endorsed by India

for appropriate follow up.

The Policy also takes note of the

commitments of the Ninth Five Year Plan

and the other Sectoral Policies relating to

empowerment of Women.

The women’s movement and a wide-spread

network of non-Government Organisations

which have strong grass-roots presence and

deep insight into women’s concerns have

contributed in inspiring initiatives for the

empowerment of women.

Gender disparity manifests itself in various

forms, the most obvious being the trend of

continuously declining female ratio in the

population in the last few decades. Social

stereotyping and violence at the domestic

and societal levels are some of the other

manifestations. Discrimination against girl

children, adolescent girls and women

persists in parts of the country.

The underlying causes of gender inequality

are related to social and economic structure,

which is based on informal and formal

norms, and practices.

Goal and Objectives

The goal of this Policy is to bring about the

advancement, development and

empowerment of women. The Policy will be

widely disseminated so as to encourage

active participation of all stakeholders for

achieving its goals. Specifically, the

objectives of this Policy include

(i) Creating an environment through positive

economic and social policies for full

development of women to enable them to

realize their full potential

(ii) The de-jure and de-facto enjoyment of

all human rights and fundamental freedom

by women on equal basis with men in all

spheres – political, economic, social,

cultural and civil

(iii) Equal access to participation and

decision making of women in social,

political and economic life of the nation

(iv) Equal access to women to health care,

quality education at all levels, career and

vocational guidance, employment, equal

remuneration, occupational health and

safety, social security and public office etc.

(v) Strengthening legal systems aimed at

elimination of all forms of discrimination

against women

(vi) Changing societal attitudes and

community practices by active participation

and involvement of both men and women.

(vii) Mainstreaming a gender perspective in

the development process.

(viii) Elimination of discrimination and all

forms of violence against women and the

girl child; and

(ix) Building and strengthening partnerships

with civil society, particularly women’s

organizations.

Policy Prescriptions

Judicial Legal Systems

Legal-judicial system will be made more

responsive and gender sensitive to women’s

needs, especially in cases of domestic

violence and personal assault. New laws will

be enacted and existing laws reviewed to

Page 3 of 6

Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

Available at

http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/

ISSN: 2395-0463

Volume 04 Issue 04

April 2018

Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 232

ensure that justice is quick and the

punishment meted out to the culprits is

commensurate with the severity of the

offence.

Women’s equality in power sharing and

active participation in decision making,

including decision making in political

process at all levels will be ensured for the

achievement of the goals of empowerment.

All measures will be taken to guarantee

women equal access to and full participation

in decision making bodies at every level,

including the legislative, executive, judicial,

corporate, statutory bodies, as also the

advisory Commissions, Committees,

Boards, Trusts etc. Affirmative action such

as reservations/quotas, including in higher

legislative bodies, will be considered

whenever necessary on a time bound basis.

Women–friendly personnel policies will also

be drawn up to encourage women to

participate effectively in the developmental

process.

Mainstreaming a Gender Perspective in

the Development Process

Policies, programmes and systems will be

established to ensure mainstreaming of

women’s perspectives in all developmental

processes, as catalysts, participants and

recipients. Wherever there are gaps in

policies and programmes, women specific

interventions would be undertaken to bridge

these. Coordinating and monitoring

mechanisms will also be devised to assess

from time to time the progress of such

mainstreaming mechanisms. Women’s

issues and concerns as a result will specially

be addressed and reflected in all concerned

laws, sectoral policies, plans and

programmes of action.

Economic Empowerment of women

Poverty Eradication

Since women comprise the majority of the

population below the poverty line and are

very often in situations of extreme poverty,

given the harsh realities of intra-household

and social discrimination, macro-economic

policies and poverty eradication

programmes will specifically address the

needs and problems of such women. There

will be improved implementation of

programmes which are already women

oriented with special targets for women.

Steps will be taken for mobilization of poor

women and convergence of services, by

offering them a range of economic and

social options, along with necessary support

measures to enhance their capabilities

Micro Credit

In order to enhance women’s access to

credit for consumption and production, the

establishment of new, and strengthening of

existing micro-credit mechanisms and

micro-finance institution will be undertaken

so that the outreach of credit is enhanced.

Other supportive measures would be taken

to ensure adequate flow of credit through

extant financial institutions and banks, so

that all women below poverty line have easy

access to credit.

Women and Economy

Women’s perspectives will be included in

designing and implementing macro- economic and social policies by

institutionalizing their participation in such

processes. Their contribution to socio- economic development as producers and

workers will be recognized in the formal and

informal sectors (including home based

workers) and appropriate policies relating to