WOMEN EMPOWERMENT AND GENDER EQUALITY
Author: Shruti Bansode
1. The Portrayal of Women’s Empowerment in Select Indian Movies
THANGAM, D. et al. (2022) Concludes That, This article explores the diverse views of Indian filmmakers on women’s status in society. Some believe empowering women is easy, while others acknowledge the obstacles and believe individual determination can overcome them. The most innovative directors recognize the subtle and systemic barriers to gender equality. As new generations emerge, they can challenge prejudices and promote women’s independent ideas and goals.
2. Women Empowerment in India
DAS, K. (2018) States that India’s women’s status lags behind many developing countries, despite being nearly half female. Even without labeling themselves as feminists, women can still work towards empowerment and betterment. Despite Constitutional provisions, laws, and schemes, India struggles for a gender equal society. Women’s empowerment should be achieved at grassroots and urban levels, and through conscious socialization, to curb patriarchal values and promote gender equality.
3. Women Empowerment: Challenges for the Global Tourism
POPOVA, K. (2019) States That Woman’s role in contemporary society is determined by her right not only to actively work and raise children, but also to take a direct part in the social life as a whole.Contemporary women are an independent and courageous social group with personalincome and new understandings of life.Their differentiation from men is due not only to their physical but also to their psychological characteristics such as: sensitivity, delicacy and personal interests.The role of tourism in improving contemporary women’s personality can be considered in two ways: demonstrate equality between men and women; defend women’s rights which should be valued and respected not only by men, but also by the same gender.The scenario for the developing countries remains pessimistic. Tourism is far from becoming the engine ofwomen’s empowerment in developing regions, as long as gender stereotypes, extreme forms of exploitation and discrimination against them continue to be reproduced, situations that only widen inequalities between men and women.In these regions, the role of tourism will beessential: it can be understoodas animportant preconditionfor gender tolerance.
4. Gender inequality and the entrepreneurial gender gap: Evidence from 97 countries (2006–2017)
RIETVELD, C. A. & PATEL, P. C. (2022) states that Entrepreneurship is driven by economic and non-economic reasons, with two broad types: opportunity-driven and necessity-driven. Opportunity-driven entrepreneurs are driven by limited options and a lack of alternative employment, while necessity-driven entrepreneurs exploit opportunities. Structural factors such as economic and social conditions influence entrepreneurship, with push-based entrepreneurship in developing countries and pull-based entrepreneurship in more developed nations. However, both types have distinct opportunity loci, resource requirements, stakeholder interactions, and risk-return profiles. Women’s decision to enter entrepreneurship is more sensitive to contextual factors, as perceived opportunity cost is higher for them than for men. Gender inequality may also influence resource provisions, with uncertainties, implicit biases, credit market discrimination, funding bias, partnership challenges, and customer discrimination limiting resource provision. Psychological differences, such as perceived embeddedness and inclusivity, may shape affinity towards necessity-based over opportunity-based entrepreneurship. Gender inequality may also exacerbate the emphasis on ego versus social goals, with opportunities and resources for pull-based entrepreneurship more strongly allocated towards males.
5. Data Equality to Gender Equality:Responding to 2030 Agenda
SENGUPTA, S.& ROY, S. D. (2018) States that, The Women Vulnerability Index was developed by the district administration of Surguja to assess the vulnerability of single women, including widowed, deserted, separated, and never married. This innovative approach helped the state government collect comprehensive data about single women and plan programs for them. The index led to 37% of single women being included in security schemes, such as the Indira Gandhi Widow National Pension Scheme and Swacch Indhan Yojana. The Department of Food provided ration cards and LPG cylinders, while the Zilla Panchayat promised puccahouses for all single women. The Swachh Bharat Mission provided toilets for single women, ensuring dignity and freedom from violence. The data also helped design special health packages for marginalized women and issued health cards. The index transformed the lives of single women and helped identify the women most affected by poverty and gender inequality in the region.
6. Strategic social marketing to foster gender equality in Indonesia.
MARTAM, I. (2016) States that, The gender equality movement in Indonesia faces significant challenges, particularly concerning gender-based violence and traditional gender roles deeply rooted in societal norms and cultural practices. Initiatives like MenCare aim to engage men in promoting gender equality through multicomponent strategies, including campaigns, education, and policy advocacy. Despite some achievements, changing societal mindsets and paradigms requires addressing complex sociocultural barriers. Social marketing plays a crucial role in this transformation, leveraging tailored approaches, such as those targeting different regions and demographics within Indonesia, to foster male involvement in childcare, challenge traditional gender roles, and advocate for policy changes. Collaboration with policymakers and grassroots efforts are essential for sustained progress, as gender equity remains a long-term societal transformation endeavor in Indonesia, where cultural shifts are gradually occurring alongside economic growth.
7. Gender inequality and the entrepreneurial gender gap: Evidence from 97 countries (2006–2017).
RIETVELD, C. A. & PATEL, P. C. (2022) States that, This study investigates the relationship between gender inequality and female engagement in entrepreneurship, finding that higher gender equality in a country is associated with increased total early-stage entrepreneurial activity and a smaller gender gap in entrepreneurship. The analysis distinguishes between opportunity-driven and necessity-driven entrepreneurship, revealing that gender equality correlates with a reduced gender gap in both types. Specifically, economic participation and opportunity, as well as political empowerment, are highlighted as crucial factors influencing the gender gap in entrepreneurship. While educational attainment and health and survival inequalities do not significantly impact this gap, addressing economic and political gender disparities is deemed essential for fostering female entrepreneurship and unleashing the economic potential of nations. Despite limitations, such as the complexity of gender inequality’s effects and variations within countries, the study underscores the importance of reducing gender disparities in economic and political spheres to promote female entrepreneurship and overall economic growth.
8. Does having women managers lead to increased gender equality practices in corporate social responsibility?
LARRIETA, R. de C. I. et al. (2015) States that, Gendered social responsibility (GSR) involves incorporating gender equality objectives into an organization’s social responsibility initiatives, ensuring equal opportunities for women and men. GSR should cover both internal and external dimensions, including human resource management, occupational health and safety, adaptation to change, and environmental impact management. The external dimension includes commitment towards gender equality in local communities, business partners, suppliers, and consumers, human rights, and global environmental issues. GSR should also be considered at the highest level, such as corporate governance. The relationship between women in management positions and GSR is explored.
9. Foreign entry in the services sector and gender workforce composition
NGUYEN, D. T. H. (2021) States that, This paper examines the gender impact of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on labor markets in Vietnam’s services sector. The research uses a large panel dataset of firms from 2009-2013 to explore the impact of foreign entry on local firms’ gender workforce composition. The results show that foreign firms employ women more intensively than local ones, and foreign entry also induces domestic firms to hire a greater proportion of women in their workforce. A one percent increase in foreign entry boosts the women’s to men’s employment ratio by 2.18%, or equivalently raises the women’s share by 0.54%. Large, state-owned, less capital-intensive firms tend to employ men at a higher rate. Increased competition and female intensity in the industry favor women in terms of employment. The findings have implications for local workforce, firms, and policymakers. Local women workers can expect to improve their job opportunities with increased services FDI inflows, but if they are currently working in female-intensive industries, this is unlikely. Policymakers should target male-intensive industries to attract services FDI and promote employment opportunities for the local women’s workforce.
10. The Influence of the Characteristics of the National Business System in the Disclosure of Gender-Related Corporate Social Responsibility Practices.
OLIVEIRA, M. C. et al. States That, The study found that companies in countries aligned with WEPs disclose CSR practices on gender at an average of 7.41, which is considered low for signatory companies. Argentina, Colombia, Chile, and Venezuela had the highest level of disclosure, while Panama and Mexico had the lowest. The highest level of disclosure was found in the highest governance body and committees by gender, and the groups responsible for governance and employee discrimination by functional category. The least publicized indicator was return to work and retention after maternity/paternity leave. Greater disclosure was found related to Principle 1, aimed at high-level corporate leadership for gender equality. The results align with other studies by British, Spanish, Finnish, and Japanese companies, highlighting the need to investigate the influence of the National Board of Directors (NBD) on the disclosure of information on gender-related CSR practices. Hypotheses about the NBS’s influence on disclosure included education and labor system, cultural system, economic system, political system, financial system, and cultural system. The study highlights the importance of national and local institutions in women’s empowerment, pressuring companies to report information on adopted practices such as unions, stock exchanges, securities, and exchange commissions. However, the study has limitations, such as the observation over a one-year period and the companies being WEP signatories.
Conclusion
The collection of articles presents a multifaceted perspective on women’s empowerment, gender equality, and related challenges across various domains in India and globally. While some articles focus on the portrayal of women’s empowerment in Indian movies and the societal perceptions shaping gender roles, others delve into specific issues such as entrepreneurship, tourism, corporate social responsibility, and foreign direct investment. Common themes include the persistent gender disparities in various sectors despite legal and institutional frameworks, the importance of grassroots efforts and policy interventions to promote gender equality, and the role of education, socialization, and cultural norms in shaping attitudes towards women’s empowerment. Additionally, the articles highlight the significance of data collection, innovative strategies, and collaborative approaches to address gender inequalities effectively and foster inclusive development. Overall, the synthesis underscores the complexity of gender dynamics, the interconnectedness of societal structures, and the ongoing efforts to achieve meaningful progress towards gender equality and women’s empowerment.
References
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