Women’s Empowerment

India has given a constitutional mandate providing equality to men and women in all walks of life. However the ground realities are very different. The patriarchal mind-sets continue to exclude women from most decision-making positions and the gender disparities further manifest in socio-economic status. This is seen clearly through various discriminatory indicators. Often women’s concerns and issues do not receive the attention they deserve due to their lack of access to positions of power. In certain areas such as education and employment there has been some headway, though ingrained societal and gender norms continue to hamper development.

Friedrich-Ebert Stiftung has been pursuing a strategy of women’s empowerment for several decades. "Promotion of Self-Help Initiatives for Disadvantaged People" was conceptualized by FES as a pilot project in India in the late 1980s with a special focus on women. Over the years the women specific activities have evolved towards political networking amongst women’s organisations on all three levels of Indian governance. Lobbying and advocacy work together with organisations and individuals pursuing the goal of gender equality is an integral part of this project. The goal of gender equality as part of social equality and justice is pursued in all of Friedrich-Ebert-Siftung’s work involving men and women. Alongside women’s issues such as social and economic security for women, countering development induced marginalization and displacement of women and women’s participation in the political process remain at the forefront of all activities of Friedrich-Ebert-Siftung in India.