Women Empowerment: Relevance of Gandhi an Views | Original Article

ABSTRACT:

Empowerment of women is prerequisite for the development of a society, as it enhances both the quality and quantity of human resources available for development. It is one of the main procedural concerns when addressing human right and development. Women empowerment and achieving gender equality is essential for our society to ensure the sustainable development of the country. Without the empowerment of women, it would be a fallacy to dream about the goals of sustainable development and gender equality. Mahatma Gandhi had expressed his views on numerous issues concerned with the Indian society in particular and humanity in general. He worked not only for the emancipation of the nation, but for liberation of all the suppressed and oppressed sections of society and empowerment of women as well. In Gandhian view, empowerment means equal status to women and provides equal opportunity and freedom to develop them. Man should control the pleasure of senses and not to consider the women just a sex object. Sensual pleasures have no known bounds”. Gandhi said “The goal of women empowerment depends on the threefold revaluation. First of all, bring a change in their lives. Secondly, create a change in their lives. Thirdly, change their social structure”. An attempt is made in the present paper to understand Gandhi’s views on women in context of social, economic and political sphere. Objectives of the current study are a) to understand the role of Gandhi ji for the empowerment of women b) to know the position of women in socio- economic and political field. c) to understand the various issues and the challenges coming in the way of women empowerment. The researcher has collected the data from the secondary sources like books, journals, magazines and various other publications have also been consulted. Findings of the study have revealed that Gandhi’s view on women empowerment is quite relevant in present era. Considering the fact that Gandhi has believed in the empowerment of women a decade ago, but still its relevance is and will be necessitated in every phase of time.