“Empowering women is the key to control population growth.” Discuss.

Interventions for empowering women

(1) Representation → Nari Shakti Vandhan Adhiniyam (2023) - political reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies → 73rd and 74th amendment act : 33% reservation for women

(2) Women's safety → Mission shakti (MoWCD) → Protection of Women from Sexual Harassment 2013 (Vishakha guidelines)

(3) Maternal health → PM Matru Vandana Yojana → Anaemia Mukt Bharat Abhiyan

These interventions have provided

opportunities for women yet there are gaps in women participation in Indian growth story (female LFPR 32.8% only. PLFS-2021).

Issues of in effectiveness

(1) emergence of Sarpanch Patis - women local leaders serving as puppets for husbands. (2) despite strict laws against rapes, rapes are frequent (3) maternal mortality rates (97) and high prevalence of anaemia especially in poor women (4) interventions fail to address multidisciplinary vulnerability

(5) poor implementation of rules and regulations and administrative apathy

Steps like education of girl child, gender equality (KR textbooks - father cutting vegetables) and better implementation of existing rules will go a long way.

Unintended consequences of interventions

(1) 'man-shaming' i.e. all men are alike and bad. (2) false domestic violence and rape complaints in greed of money, defaming husband. (3) lesser 'men feminists' who can bring change in their homes → father washing clothes (4) trivialising real concerns