Women's
and gender studies are emerging and growing areas of academic enquiry today. To
have a deeper understanding of formulation of empowerment, one must be exposed
to cultural, literary, political and socio-economic dimensions within gender
frame works. There is a need to deconstruct the complex power hierarchies and
relationships operating in society, from the perspective of women and gender.
Development
policies and practices have a different impact on women and men. This
necessitates an understanding of the 'gender gap' in access to resources,
privileges, entitlements and choices. Consensus has evolved around the need to
explore the 'gender gap' in key development sectors and how this gap can be
bridged. There is now greater emphasis on mainstreaming gender perspectives
into the development process. This will contribute to building a
gender-sensitive rubric of development, recasting development theory and action
in the direction of improved living standards, socially responsible management
and use of resources, elimination of gender subordination and socioeconomic
inequality as well as to promote the organizational restructuring required to
bring about desirable change.
Exploration
of gender issues has become an important activity for most non- governmental
organizations. Increasing emphasis is being laid in Governmental agencies on
establishing gender-differential impacts and taking positive, affirmative
action towards gender equality and equity. It is now widely acknowledged that
gender considerations need to be reflected in all development plans, programmes
and policies. There is growing concern over the isolation of women in so-called
"soft" sectors in education, employment and development rather than
mainstreaming gender concerns across all organizations, institutions and
activities. While the concerns are clearly articulated, national goals and the
UN millennium sustainable development goals cannot be achieved without concrete
effort towards gender equality.
Some of the Gender related courses offered
through Open and Distance Learning System are:
* Master
of Arts in Women's and Gender Studies (MAWGS)
*
Master of Arts in Gender and Development Studies (MAGD)
*
Post Graduate Diploma in Women's & Gender Studies (PGDWGS)
*
Diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development (DWED)
Now
it is a known fact that if a female child is educated in the family, the
education is useful for entire family. Women is the backbone of the family, if
she is educated, the entire family is educated. In other words, the benefit of
girl's education has directly or indirectly impact on entire family
up-gradation process. It has strong multiplier effect in the family as well as
society.
The
upward movement from literate stage to empowered stage is geared-up by the
education process. Swamy Vivekananda said, 'Knowledge is power', one way of
acquiring knowledge is through education system. Today we need brain power than
muscle power. Thus, educated women get gradually empowered in terms of economic
status as well as social status.
Government
of India provides many schemes to empower women; one such scheme is free
education for 'single girl child' in Kendriya Vidyalayas. For few years, the
government of Gujarat has offered free education opportunity for women
applicants in IGNOU- Ahmedabad. It really boosted the educated population
significantly. Giving equal opportunities for females has already crossed 33%
quotes in many fields. This is well noticed in most of the employment
notifications where sex is not a bar. To give importance for female candidates,
some offices keep exclusive 'women' counters, thereby special services provided
to them.
Our
former Prime Minister Smti. Indira Gandhi says, 'Education is a liberating
force, and in our age it is also democratizing force, cutting across the
barrier of caste and class, smoothing out inequalities imposed by birth and
other circumstances'. The Open and Distance Learning System provides education
to all, with equal opportunities. Eliminating the sex bias in all the process
is need of the hour. The education level of the society in general and employer
in particular does the fading effect of sex-bias. In the developed countries,
where the level of education is higher, the differentiation based on sex is
low. The education changes the attitude very much.
Let
us all try to minimize the sex bias and evolve bias free environments for all,
as mentioned by Nelson Mandela 'education is the most powerful weapon which you
can use to change the world'.
(The
authors are Dr.S. Ganesan, Regional Director of IGNOU, Regional Centre, Port
Blair and Ms. Swaraja Laxmi Bai, Assistant of IGNOU, Regional Centre, Port
Blair and can be reached at rcportblair@ignou.ac.in (M-8900936718)
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