Volume 13 Issue 6 Version 1.

0 Year 2013
Type: Double Blind Peer Reviewed International Research Journal
Publisher: Global Journals Inc. (USA)
Online ISSN: & Print ISSN:

Women’s Empowerment: Concept and Beyond

By Md. Aminur Rahman
Development Frontiers, Bangladesh
Abstract- Long before the word `empowerment’ became popular, women were speaking about
gaining control over their lives, and participating in making the decisions that affect them in home
and community, in government and international development policies. But problem is, very few
have clear conception on empowerment. This is very easy to say but difficult to understand what
is empowerment? This article takes an initiative to clarify the concept based on several scholar’s
views. And finally, make a conclusion with alternative analysis of women’s empowerment.

Keywords : empowerment, women, power, gender, selfreliance, decision-making, control over.

GJHSS-C Classification : FOR Code : 160899

Womens Empowerment Concept and Beyond

Strictly as per the compliance and regulations of:

© 2013. Md. Aminur Rahman. This is a research/review paper, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-
Noncommercial 3.0 Unported License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/), permitting all non-commercial use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
 Women’s Empowerment: Concept and Beyond
Md. Aminur Rahman

Abstract - Long before the word `empowerment’ became of one person to get another person or group to do
popular, women were speaking about gaining control over something against their will. Such power is located in
their lives, and participating in making the decisions that affect decision-making processes, conflict, and force, and
them in home and community, in government and international
could be described as zero-sum; or the ‘power to create
development policies. But problem is, very few have clear

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such relationship as love, respect friendship, legitimacy
conception on empowerment. This is very easy to say but
difficult to understand what is empowerment? This article takes and so on. To try to come closer to an understanding of
an initiative to clarify the concept based on several scholar’s empowerment we need to look at the actual meaning of
views. And finally, make a conclusion with alternative analysis the term that has been variously used by writers and
of women’s empowerment. researchers, in a variety of context’ (Rowland, 1997).
Keywords : empowerment, women, power, gender, self- And let me attempt to discuss few concepts here on 20
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reliance, decision-making, control over. empowerment to understand the concept.

Global Journal of Human Social Science ( C ) Volume XIII Issue VI Version I

Rawland’s (1997) view : According to Rawland,
I. Introduction in order to understand the process of empowerment,

T
he rise of gender sensitivity is one of the there is a need to be aware that power can take many
distinguishing features of our times. It has taken different forms. Rawland explains :
hold human imagination like never before. For all a. Power over: Controlling power, this may be
practical purposes, the concern of gender equity has responded to with compliance, resistance (which
graduated to the level of a policy objectives (Sharma : weakens processes of victimization) or
2000). Two perspectives have emerged in the manipulation.
contemporary discourse on the modalities of gender b. Power to: Generative or productive power
equity; women’s development and women’s (sometimes incorporating or manifesting as forms of
empowerment. It is Easter Boserup’s (1970) pioneering resistance or manipulation) which creates new
work, Women’s Role in Economic Development that possibilities and actions without domination.
paved way to the rise of women’s development c. Power with: ‘a sense of the whole being greater than
perspective. According to Sharma (2000;21), the the sum of the individuals, especially when a group
development strategy, however, has come under severe tackles problems together’.
interrogation not only for its failure to deliver its promise d. Power from within: ‘the spiritual strength and
but also for working against the interest of womankind. uniqueness that resides in each one of us and
Consequently, the decade of 90s has witnessed the rise makes true human. Its basis is self-acceptance and
of women’s empowerment perspective which shot into self-respect, which extend, in turn, to respect for
prominence at Beijing Conference. and acceptance of others as equals.
As our experience, Paulo Freire (1996) in his Rawland have considered some of the different
book Padagogy of the Oppressed has discussed manifestations of power, we can return to the question
`empowerment’ in a formal way for the first time in of what is meant by empowerment. Using the
1970s. And after him, many scholars discussed it as conventional definition, of “power over” empowerment
human potential especially for women empowerment. means bringing people who are outside the decision-
Caroline Moser (1993), at first, discussed it as making process into it. This puts a strong emphasis on
redistribution of power. But as a concept, participation in political structures and formal decision-
`empowerment’ is widely used, but seldom defined. The making and, in the economic sphere, on the ability to
often-uncritical use of the term “empowerment” in obtain an income that enables participation in economic
development thinking and practice disguises a decision-making. Individuals are empowered when they
problematic concept. There is a room for greater clarity are able to maximize the opportunities available to them
about the concept and its application. Confusion arises without constraints.
with the concept empowerment because the root Within the generative, ‘power to’ and “power
concept ‘power’ is itself disputed.Power has been the with” interpretation of power, empowerment is concern
subject of debate in social science. Some definitions with the processes by which people become aware of
focus, with varying degree of subtlety, on the availability their own interests how those relate to the interest of
others in order both to participate from a position of a
Author : Research Fellow, Development Frontiers, Bangladesh. greater strength in decision-making and actually to
E-mail : [email protected] influence such decisions.

© 2013 Global Journals Inc. (US)

 Women’s Empowerment : Concept and Beyond

From a feminist perspective, interpreting ‘power According to Rawland, empowerment to be

over’ entails understanding the dynamics of oppression operating within three dimensions:
and internalized oppressing. Empowerment is thus more a. Personal : development a sense of self and
than participation in decision-making; it must also individual confidence and capacity, and undoing the
include the processes that lead people to perceive defects of internalized oppression.
themselves as able and entitled to make decisions. As b. Rational : developing the ability to negotiate and
feminist and other social theorist have shown, societies influence the nature of a relationship and decisions
ascribe a particular set of abilities to social categories of made within it.
people. Empowerment must involve undoing negative c. Collective : This includes involvement in political
social construction, so that people come to see structures, but might also cover collective action
themselves as having the capacity and the right to act based co-operation rather than competition.
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and influence decisions [Rowland, (1997).

II. The Three Dimensions of Empowerment

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Global Journal of Human Social Science (C ) Volume XIII Issue VI Version I

Personal

Collective Close
local/ relationship
Informal
Formal

(Rowlands, Jo (1997) Questioning Empowerment, Oxford: Oxfam.)

Naila Kabeer’s (1989) interpretation : Kabeer with an educational process (Naz :2006).
interprets it as a redial transformation of power relations In addition, Kabeer (1994) belief’s that `self
between women and men ‘so that women have greater esteem and feeling of being as active agent’ are the
power over their own lives and men have less power fundamental principles of empowerment and she
over women’s lives’. Kabeer (1994) has provided expends her thought by saying that `empowerment
another dynamic account of empowerment. She regards should be considered aspect of perceiving oneself as
empowerment as a concept with theoretical and an active agent capable of making decisions’
practical potential that merits being more than an empty (Naz;2006).
slogan. Thus, it is not simply an act of decision making
She found it necessary to deconstruct the but encompasses more. Kabeer does not ignore the
notion of power in order to consider empowerment. She value of collective action but considers it useful in
explained: ‘the multi-dimensional nature of power achieving social as well as political empowerment. In her
suggest that empowerment strategies for women must opinion, the empowerment process should have its
build on ‘the power within’ as a necessary adjunct to effect in policy changes at the state and market
improving their ability to control resources, to determine institutions level that ultimately mould and limit women’s
agendas and make decisions. Power from within needs live(Naz :2006).
‘experiential recognition and analysis’ of issues to do John Friedman’s (1992) view : Friedman’s
with women’s own subordination and how it is (1992: 32-34) theory of `alternative development’ is
maintained. ‘Such power cannot be given; it has to be derived from the concept of empowerment that arises
self-generated (Kabeer: 1994). She emphasizes the from indigenous, political and social cultures of society.
importance of such elements as self-respect, and the According to Friedman, There are three kinds of power,
sense of agency. Careful analysis and insightful social, political and psychological. Social power
reflections are necessary preconditions for creation of consists in processing knowledge, information and
new form of consciousness. This idea is based on skills. Political power is a mechanism that influences
Paulo Freire’s conception of `critical consciousness’ policy changes both at the micro and macro level. It’s
where the process of empowerment is bound up the result of the power of voice and collective action.
© 2013 Global Journals Inc. (US)
 Women’s Empowerment : Concept and Beyond

Finally, psychological power is expressed as an When we observes S. Batliwala (1993)

individual sense of potency demonstrated in self- observation, where she says the word “power” is
confidence behaviour, self-reliance and increased self- contained within the term empowerment implying that
esteem. Friedman explains empowerment as social empowerment is about changing the balance of power
power, which can be translated into political power. in a given society, power being defined as control over
Social networking enhances their position and power, resources and ideology. The resources may be
which consequently expedites and strengthens the categorized into physical, human, intellectual, financial,
process of psychological, social and political and self, including self-esteem, confidence, and
empowerment. creativity. Ideology refers to beliefs, values, attitudes,
According to kate Young (1993), empowerment and ways of thinking and perceiving situations. She
point out that empowerment is a process that involves a

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enables women`to take control of their own lives, set
their own agenda, organize to help each other and redistribution of power, particularly within the household.
make demands on the state for support and on the So power, power redistribution and power
society itself for change’. relationship are emphasized by the modern scholars
As Young, empowerment is a complete change when they have made clarification.
Regarding empowerment, Hashemi et el (1993) 20
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of the processes and structures responsible for
women’s inferior status in the society. It is based on a have clarified it in a study ‘Targeted Credit Programs

Global Journal of Human Social Science ( C ) Volume XIII Issue VI Version I

`transformatory potential’ related to the `need to and the Empowerment of Women in Rural Bangladesh’
transform women’s position in such a way that the and emphasized on women control over on her lives.
advancement will be sustained. Finally, she summarizes They have identified six general domains in which,
the concept of empowerment from individual to wider traditionally subordination of women is played out and in
political perspectives and she puts sufficient importance which empowerment of women is believed to be taking
to collective action, as it is a sure means to individual place. The six domains are: 1.Sense of self and vision of
empowerment. a future. 2. Mobility and visibility. 3. Ability to earn a
In true sense, this term is discussed as feminist living. 4. Decision-making power within the household.
perspective, and Marilee Karl (1995) says, ‘The word 5. Ability to interact effectively in the public sphere. 5.
‘Empowerment’ captures this sense of gaining control, Participation in non- family groups. In another study of
of participation in decision-making. More recently, the ‘Rural Credit Programs and Women’s Empowerment in
word has entered the vocabulary of development Bangladesh’ Syed Hashemi et al (1996) have developed
agencies, including international organizations and the eight empowerment indicators to measure women’s
United Nations’. And Vanessa Griffen (1987) explains it empowerment especially for Bangladesh context as a
also through gender lens, as her, empowerment means. developing country. And his conceptualisation is highly
• having control, or gaining further control; praised in women development area. The eight
• having a say and being listened to; indicators are: a. Mobility b. Economic security c. Ability
to make small purchases d. Ability to make larger
• being able to define and create from a women’s
purchases e. Involvement in major decisions f. Relative
perspective;being able to influence social choices
freedom from domination by the family g. Political and
and decisions affecting the whole society (not just
legal awareness h. Participation in public protests and
areas of society accepted as women’s place)
political campaigning.
• being recognized and respected as equal citizens
And once it has found, scholars has analyses
and human beings with a contribution to make.
empowerment through gender lens and establish it for
And again Beteille (1999:591), discusses it as judging women development. Though it is very difficult
power distribution without having clear power. to differentiate real boarder line between development
According to berteile, ‘the main point behind and empowerment. It has also found in Chen and
empowerment is that it seeks to change society through Mahmud’s (1995) clarification when they have
a rearrangement of power’. conceptualized also empowerment as women’s
It reflects the kabeer’s opinion. But, Dandikar advancement. As Chen and Mahmud (1995)
(1986:26) has described empowerment as a Empowerment is a process of positive change
multifaceted process, which involves four parallel that improves women’s fallback position and bargaining
aspects. These are: power within a patriarchal structure, and identify different
• The women’s economic/resource base; causal pathways of change; material, cognitive,
• The public/political arena allowed to her by society; perceptual and relational.
• Her family structure, and the strength and limitations In short, empowerment is a process of
it imposes on her; and awareness and capacity building leading to greater
• Perhaps most important, the psychological / participation, to greater decision-making power and
ideological “sense” about women in her society, control, and to transformative action. In addition,
which in turn shapes her own perception of herself empowerment is a process that is both individual and
and the options she allows herself to consider.
© 2013 Global Journals Inc. (US)
 Women’s Empowerment : Concept and Beyond

collective. Sometimes it involve people as groups that economic dependency of woman is built into the
most often begin to develop their awareness and the structure of property relations which are dominated by
ability to organize to take action and bring about man. For sure, developmental approach has failed to
change. make a dent into the structure of gender-based property
relations.
III. Alternative Thought as Beyond From structural viewpoint, another problem with
Today, when empowerment approach is women’s empowerment is that it treats women as a
reigning supreme, there is need for a cool and homogeneous category, an undifferentiated mass. This,
dispassionate scrutiny of some of its infirmities. In the however, is not true. The fact of the matter is that there is
interest of systematic scrutiny, I explain it through liberal, internal differentiation among women and it is as telling
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structural and cultural perspectives. as between man and woman (Sharma: ibid). These
Viewed from liberal perspective, women’s women differ significantly not only in their backgrounds
empowerment approach suffers from three fallacies: but also in their needs and interests. The question, then,
exclusionary bias, adversarial orientation and subversive is; whose empowerment are we talking about?
logic (Sharma: 2000:21). It suffers from an exclusionary Empowerment of women of which section or class? It is
20
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bias in that it excludes man from the feminist discourse,
organisation and movement. It is noticed, it isolates has been hijacked ny women of higher strata,
Global Journal of Human Social Science (C ) Volume XIII Issue VI Version I

women from men. This is evident from the fact that, by particularly upper class/middle class and power elites
and large most of the women study centres are headed (Caplan: 1985).
by women and all the seminars and conferences on From cultural perspectives, women’s
women are monopolised by women. Even, most of empowerment approach can be criticised for its marked
women mobilisations are led by women. Not only that; Western ethnocentrism (Sharma: ibid). It has incapability
women academicians invariably claim, gender studies to relate to the cultural ethos of the countries of the East,
as one of their field of specialisation. As a result, the including Indian Subcontinent. Its most severe limitation
academic discourse on the gender question seems to is its Western ethnocentric bias. So mired it is in the
have gained an activist impulse. Within the academic Western feminist discourse that it fails to capture the
discourse again the women question is being viewed in cultural reality of gender relations in the non-western
isolation from the gender relations context. A pert of the world.
disconnecting consequence of it, all the alienation of In view of the above delineated limitations of
men from the gender discourse. As if this were not women’s empowerment approach it needs gender
enough, it also evinces an adversarial orientation. empowerment. Where it fails also to identify male’s
Simply, it tends to project man as an adversary of empowerment because most male of Third World
woman (Sharma;2000:25). Countries have no power and they are also exploited by
In its present discourse, women’s the existing power-structure in the society. So it needs
empowerment perspective could also be a threat to also to define empowerment as a gender-neutral
domestic peace as it may drive a wedge between man concept. At this point, it is necessary to clarify the
and woman. That is the reason why many women do not concept of `gender empowerment’. Gender
favour this perspective; because they feel they are well empowerment should not be mistaken for
adjusted and find nothing wrong with gender relations. empowerment of man vis-a-vis woman or the vice versa.
From structural view point, women’s It signifies transformation of gender relations from
empowerment approach is intrinsically psychologistic, hierarchal to egalitarian plan rather than just tinkering
structural and elitist (Sharma: 2000-26). It is with women’s power position. It aims at reworking of
psychologistic in that sense; it places over optimism on gender relations in a complimentary framework rather
the efficacy of conscientization as a key to women’s than a conflictual framework. Gender empowerment is a
empowerment. Even as the importance of `awareness broad category which includes empowerment of women
generation’ among women for their empowerment without creating a misgiving of emasculation of men. It
cannot be overemphasised, conscientization of women stands for fostering a balance in gender relations as
alone, to the exclusion of man is as important, perhaps against the one-sided women empowerment approach.
even more than change in the attitude of woman, for Furthermore, empowerment is not just a question of
setting gender relations on an even keel. Above all, rearrangement of power both economic and political; it
while attitudinal change among both women and men is is also a matter of change of values. In my view, men
a necessary condition for gender equality, it is, however, need gender sensitisation as much as women do. In
not a sufficient condition. From Marxist angle, women’s fact men need it even more, for they still are in a position
empowerment framework suffers from a sort of non- of domination on account of the perpetuation of
structuralist conditions. That is so because it ignores the patriarchy.
importance of existential conditions, including the fact of
economic dependency of woman on man. The
© 2013 Global Journals Inc. (US)
 Women’s Empowerment : Concept and Beyond

References Références Referencias

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