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Globally, marriage breakup or divorce has become a significant issue, and Bangladesh is no exception. The divorce rate among urban women has dramatically increased in Bangladesh, particularly in Dhaka City. This study aims to uncover the factors contributing to the rising divorce rate among women in Dhaka. Utilizing desk-based research and expert interviews, it critically examines the causes of marriage breakdown. The study argues that industrialization, women's empowerment, and feminist movements have fostered a rise in individualism among women in Dhaka, making them more educated and empowered compared to those in other Bangladeshi cities. This individualism serves as a deterrent against physical and mental abuse, extramarital affairs, authoritarian attitudes, and other forms of discrimination traditionally faced by women. Women's sense of individualism also fosters intolerance toward unhappy marriages, allowing them to pursue independent lives due to their financial solvency. Additionally, the study identifies other factors negatively impacting divorce-seeking behavior, including drug addiction, marital dissatisfaction over infertility or impotence, extramarital affairs due to partner absence, and the influence of social media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article sought to analyse the gender dimensions in communally managed water schemes in rural Uganda. Taking two rural villages as empirical referents, the study used multi-methods of data collection and a gender-based analysis to interrogate the challenges to equitable access and decision-making in rural-based water schemes. The analysis reveals that, despite the existing policy and legislative regime, access to water for women is severely constrained, and their level of decision-making in communally managed water schemes is remarkably low. The article holds that women's participation is critical for the much-needed collective action towards community-based water governance, gender equity, and empowerment. Consequently, the barriers to sustainable water access and effective women's participation can be addressed through significant investments in systematic water institutional reforms, targeted capacity-building initiatives, and plugging existing policy monitoring and implementation gaps at all levels. There is a need to address the policy reality gap regarding ownership of productive resources for women as a key strand towards addressing the equity challenges at different levels of water governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates the impact of self-help group (SHG) intervention and entrepreneurial traits of SHG members on the economic and socio-cultural empowerment of rural women. A purposive sampling method has been used to collect a sum of 344 responses from the SHG of women who are engaged in entrepreneurial income-generating activities in their village. A linear regression model has been used to analyse the data. The study found and argues that SHG interventions have a positive association with the economic and socio-cultural empowerment of rural women. The parameters identified and analysed in the study are helpful to the stakeholders to make policy decisions to strengthen all the factors, which are responsible for the success and growth of SHG in general and the micro-enterprise of SHG women entrepreneurs, in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite being an agrarian economy, food insecurity is pervasive in Pakistan. This study examines the impact of multiple dimensions of household vulnerability and socio-economic resilience on food insecurity. The results of ordinary least squares and Logistic regression based on data from Pakistan Standard and Living Measurement Survey (2018–2019) and Food Insecurity Experience Scale showed that vulnerabilities like age and employment dependency, household size, and gender composition play a significant role in food insecurity. The key policy interventions that can prevent households from experiencing food insecurity would be investments in human capital, empowering women, and reduction in rural–urban disparity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ʻEmployability and Empowermentʼ have played a critical role in shaping society and inspiring people to push limits and achieve new heights. Many actions have been performed to advance female equality and empower women. The Mudra scheme, one of the popular measures for reducing poverty, has the ability to improve women's status in the current male-dominated culture. Thus, the main aim of the study is to analyse the influence of the PMMY scheme on employability and Women empowerment. The respondents of the current study, which is grounded on ʻprimary dataʼ, are Indian women entrepreneurs in the state of Haryana. The study collected required information using a self-administered interview schedule using a ʻcross-sectional study designʼ using a ʻstratified random sampling technique (disproportionate)ʼ between June 2022 and October 2022, the primary data were gathered from 570 respondents. The study uses Ordered Logistic Regression, Wilcoxon Sign Test and Effect Size test for the analysis. The findings show that credit amount has a big impact on employability. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test results from the study show that there has been a considerable increase in the respondents' fiscal, societal, and psychosomatic empowerment when compared to the Before-Mudra loan phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study inspects controversies in the Western World about the veil worn by Muslim women in public. It merges two separate domains, Islamic Feminism and Western Feminism. These two domains need to be addressed to generate new opinions. Western Feminism believes that veil is a sign of oppression and masculinity. However, Islamic Feminists find the veil empowering and a sign of dignity. This study aims to unravel the underlying contradictions and blind spots that characterize the arguments in favor and against the veil. This juxtaposition can provide insight into new theoretical and empirical points of departure. All oppressions result from the political dynamics of the state in which the individual is living. It is utterly reductionist to criticize the choice to veil, which is an instrument of autonomy. This paper emphasizes that Islam does not oblige women to be victimized and dissatisfied. However, Islam strives to promote the autonomy of Muslim women. It is safe to say that Islam describes women as beauty with a brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study is based on the company Cookups.com (hereafter Cookups), an initiative started by a woman who has changed the culinary dimension of business by bringing home cooks together under one platform. This case presents the institutional entrepreneurship journey of the first culinary platform of home cooks in Bangladesh, which benefits and facilitates female entrepreneurs who would otherwise be unemployed. Starting with the sociocultural aspects, the case study analyzes the various elements of the "cloud kitchen" and the factors that make this business model sustainable even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cookups has been a pioneering effort in the field of women's empowerment in the country, ensuring that women of all social backgrounds and classes have access to a platform to generate income. The case study also aims to discover the various challenges a startup can face in its mode of operation and how to overcome them using technological solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a severe public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) with harmful effects on the physical, psychological, and socioeconomic wellbeing of survivors and their families. In SSA, IPV is associated with mental health disorders, high-risk behaviors, and HIV vulnerability, especially among women. In Uganda, poor socioeconomic status increases women's vulnerability to IPV. Yet there is limited evidence on the association between socioeconomic factors and IPV severity in Uganda. Our study used population-based data to (a) establish different patterns describing the severity of IPV experiences, (b) explore associations between socioeconomic factors and severity of IPV experiences among Ugandan ever-married women, and (c) examine direct and indirect pathways from socioeconomic factors to severity of IPV experiences. Data were drawn from the 2016 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey's sample of 7,536 evermarried women aged 15-49 years. A latent class analysis examined distinct patterns of IPV severity among this sample, yielding a four-class solution: low violence (n = 5,059; 67.1%); high physical violence, low sexual violence (n = 1,501; 19.9%); high sexual violence, moderate physical violence (n = 535; 7.1%); and high sexual and severe physical violence (n = 441; 5.9%). Using the low violence group as the reference category, we conducted a multinomial logistic regression that found significant associations between secondary education (aOR 2.35, 95% CI: [1.06, 5.24]), poorest on the wealth index (aOR 2.00, 95% CI: [1.13, 3.54]), and severe IPV experiences. Decision-making (aOR 0.81, 95% CI: [0.68, 0.96]) played a protective role against membership in the high sexual and physical violence class compared to the reference category. Using path analysis, we found that labor force participation partially mediated the path from wealth index and education to IPV severity. Findings indicate the need for interventions that aim to keep girls in school and target schools, communities, and media platforms to address gender norms, economic vulnerability, and comprehensive screening for multiple forms of violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Handlooms not only represent the rich cultural heritage of India but are also important from the point of view of their size and employment potential. It is the second-largest provider of employment in India after agriculture. The handloom workforce in India is largely outside the realms of formal education in India, impeding their empowerment. This article probes into the extent of empowerment among students of the Bachelor of Vocation (B.Voc) (Handloom Weaver) and the impact of this unique course conducted at Mizoram University on women's empowerment. Drawing on Naila Kabeer's concept, the article examines women's empowerment among students as an impact of the B.Voc course at Mizoram University. The B.Voc course provides skill-based education as well as prospects of employment through entrepreneurship with the promotion of the 'Hnatlang Handloom Producer Company Ltd' by the students. The study revealed that the B.Voc Handloom course provided valuable education and knowledge on hands-on handloom skills, entrepreneurship and leadership experience, exposure to marketing and networking, and fund management. However, students continue to subscribe to some of the stereotypical mindset. There is a need for sensitisation sessions on 'Women's Empowerment and Gender Studies' to enable them to reconstruct structural inequalities and patriarchy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study is an endeavor to contribute to the impact developing social circumstances regarding land ownership among women and its relation to gender equality. The purpose of this research debunks the factors effecting women land ownership and their impact on socio-economic equality. A survey was done among 100 women of a remote village, in southern Lalitpur regarding land ownership, with relation to variables such as level of education of women, ethnicity, age, presence of legal documents, knowledge of government policies, and family structure. Factors such as occupation of women, role in household decision making, and involvement in social and political spheres were also studied in relation to their land ownership. The survey was done with purposive and proportional stratified sampling among ethnic communities of Brahmin/Chhetri and Janajati. A questionnaire survey, key informant survey, focus group discussion and in-depth case study were done. Twenty-one percent of the females interviewed had land on their own and this data also had a variation with ethnic communities. It was found that women with land feel confident in the social and economic sphere of society. Brahmin community was found to be more aware of the government policies encouraging female land ownership than the Janajati community. This study aims to add knowledge on the conversation in gender equality and its relation to land and property ownership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review paper highlights the essential requirement of women in agricultural practices and emphasizes gender equality and their contribution to household productivity and food security. The paper discusses the various stages of the value chain and identifies entry points for interventions aimed at enhancing women's participation and benefits and also evaluates the efforts meant to empower women within the agriculture sector, especially to determine women's involvement in the Agricultural Value Chain (AVC). Evaluation of women's empowerment using diverse approaches such as the REBT Framework, and WEAI in various countries was analyzed by using the PRISMA framework and concluded with the emerging new methodology of PRO-WEAI developed by IFPRI to focus on the empowerment of women relevant to the value chain. WEAI-type tools allow for direct comparison between men and women in the same households. This approach offers additional advantages, such as having an explicit link to empowerment theory and using both qualitative and quantitative data to develop and validate the Index. The paper concludes that the emergence of pro-WEAI offers a streamlined and improved tool for analyzing intrahousehold characteristics. It incorporates a gender parity index, enhancing the measurement process. This index is also utilized for calculating GDP per capita, providing a more accurate assessment of economic conditions. Overall, pro-WEAI's concise structure and comprehensive approach make it a superior choice for measuring women's empowerment in the agricultural sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent shift from the traditional design of citizens' housing in the United Arab Emirates, with its generous habitable spaces, to a more compact "modern" design has been experienced in the federal housing program in the country. Despite taking the social needs into considerations, the modern designs of this housing category have been professionally developed without genuine residents' participation especially the young Emirati women (between 18 and 24 years old) who are considered the backbone of the new Emirati families benefiting from this housing program. The research poses this question: How can young Emirati women effectively participate in the pre-occupancy evaluation of the design of the "modern" housing models? To answer this question, the comparative potentials and constraints of utilizing both the simple versus the advanced Virtual Reality (VR) design participatory tools were investigated on a design of a selected model house. Both tools have shown the same trend for the overall satisfaction/dissatisfaction of the house architectural style, the suitability of the functional areas, the spatial organization, and the sizes and numbers of windows as a source for daylighting. Still, the use of the VR has elaborated the respondents' perceptions and hence changed some responses form satisfaction to dissatisfaction or neutral. Some technical difficulties associated with utilizing the VR tool render it a non-inclusive participatory technique. Finally, it seems that an ideal pre-occupancy evaluation tool for involving young Emirati women in their housing design is through exploiting a hybrid participatory technique combining both simple and advanced VR tools. This could accurately facilitate the pre-occupancy evaluation process while helping save some cost and time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study moves beyond the consensus of counting electrified households as a measure of progress in gender energy parity. Using the India Human Development Survey, we examine the effect of reliability of electrification on empowerment of women in terms of economic autonomy, agency, mobility and decision-making abilities, underscoring the labor market and respite effects of service reliability. We develop a comprehensive set of empowerment indices using principal component analysis and assess the causal effects of power outages on the indices with instrumental variable regressions while controlling for individual, household, district and caste characteristics. Results show that reliability of electricity has significant positive effects on all empowerment indices and improves women's labor market outcomes, however, the effects differ at the margin of deficiency, location, living standards and education. The study recommends policy focus on electrification from a gendered lens for cost-effective solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated whether markers of economic empowerment are associated with a tolerant attitude toward spousal physical violence (SPV) among employed married women in Nigeria. Cross-sectional analyses of responses to the 2013 Nigeria Demographic Health Survey by a nationally representative sample of 3,999 women aged 15 to 49 years who reported being employed and married. Tolerance for SPV was defined as supporting statements with justifications for wife-beating. Logistic regression assessed the associations of reporting tolerance for SPV with educational attainment and interspousal equivalency in income, controlling for previous exposure to domestic abuse. The prevalence of tolerance for SPV among the sample was 37%. Women with tertiary education had lower odds of tolerance for SPV relative to their counterparts without formal education (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.22, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.12, 0.40], p <.0001). Compared with women with similar income levels as their partners, women who either earned more (aOR = 2.77, 95% CI = [1.36, 5.62], p =.005) or earned less income relative to their spouses (aOR = 1.93, 95% CI = [1.14, 3.26], p =.02) had higher odds of tolerance for SPV. Odds of tolerance for SPV were also higher among women reporting previous spousal abuse than among their counterparts without such a history (aOR = 1.55, 95% CI = [1.14, 2.12], p =.006). A history of nonspousal abuse was associated with lower odds of tolerance for SPV (aOR = 0.56, 95% CI = [0.37, 0.84], p =.005). Lower educational attainment and interspousal differences in income may contribute to tolerance of SPV. Efforts to increase economic empowerment should be combined with education to recognize cultural norms that foster SPV and build skills to exit violent relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women empowerment and its importance have often been at the centre of debate especially in India. This concept is slowly moving beyond the theory and notions of discussions and manifesting even at the level of village clusters with adequate interventions from the policymakers. Despite the socio-cultural restrictions, the conspicuous role played by women at the household and community levels remains undeniable. This case study, through the concept of community kitchens, ideally captures the scenario in which Didis have become empowered and are able to add value to their family and community. Through a qualitative analysis it was found that the major themes associated with empowerment are community, decisions, family and values thus showcasing the economic and social implications. Research Questions/Objectives: Can the concept of women empowerment be de-urbanized? Do women through formalized initiatives feel empowered and experience heightened self-esteem? Can the setting up of micro-entrepreneurial ventures at the village level provide an impetus to alter the existing social structures and power inequalities? Links to Theory: Women Empowerment, group approach and power, self-esteem Phenomenon Studied and Case Context: The Didis of the community kitchen were members registered as self-help groups with the Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society. These community kitchens or Ajeevika Didi kitchens were essentially started and implemented during the COVID pandemic period in a five-phase manner for a period of 3 months from April to June 2020. There were around 450 women who got associated in running these community kitchens. The discourses by these Didis on their association with the micro-entrepreneurial venture and their feelings of empowerment are portrayed in the case. Findings: Semi-structured interviews for the sample respondents were conducted and then auto-coded themes, namely, community, decisions, family and values were obtained using the NVivo software. The sentiment analysis of the transcribed interview conversations revealed more of positive sentiments that were centred around the belief that such micro-entrepreneurial opportunities can largely improve their lives and ease out the inequalities that are experienced by them on the power and control fronts. On an overall basis it was observed that when the financial and psychological aspirations were met, fulfilment and satisfaction were the primary outcomes for the study participants. Discussions: The present case is aimed for discussion in the entrepreneurship classes of management, especially related to social entrepreneurship, women empowerment and contribution of women to the economy and society. The case highlights that woman's contribution towards the society and family could be impacted through a woman's own sense of self-worth and self-esteem. This case highlights further that micro-enterprises that are community level are both a social and economic phenomenon, manifesting benefits for the individual as well as the society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using original surveys to investigate how online gender-based harassment marginalizes or empowers female college students, we found increased exposure to misogyny polarizes digital participation. Women aware of gender inequality in Korea encountering online hate speech were more inclined to engage in online movements, unlike women who did not recognize such inequality. This highlights distinct opportunities in relation to digital activism, showing online hate speech can sometimes be a catalyst for online political participation. This study expands current research on digital protest, highlighting the political ramifications of empowering women in the critical context of their unequal democratic rights outside the West. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increasing number of male migrants are taking part in intra- and inter-regional migration in Asia, leaving their wives behind at home. Their wives, whom we call emigrant wives, often adapt to new roles and responsibilities and thus undergo empowerment in the migration process. This paper examines the impact of male migration on the empowerment of emigrant wives by comparing and contrasting the experiences of emigrant wives vis-à-vis non-emigrant wives. The research identifies and describes four major areas where emigrant wives tend to engage in the absence of their migrant husbands: access to economic resources, physical mobility, residential independence and decision-making role in key family affairs. Empirically, this study draws on fieldwork at two migration-source villages in Bangladesh. The study reports that emigrant wives gain new experiences in dealing with family and wider society in comparison with non-emigrant wives, and thus that migration exposes them to processes of greater empowerment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the information behaviour of rural desert women residing in Hafizwala village from the Bahawalnagar district, Pakistan. Data were collected from adult females using an interview questionnaire. Face to face interviews with each female were conducted by visiting their houses. The rural desert women required information mainly on health (self and family), child education, religion, pregnancy related issues, cattle and poultry care, water purification. They perceived political, agricultural, nutritional, housekeeping, and current affaires related information as important. These respondents relied heavily on informal information sources such as family members, close relatives, and friends in information acquisition. Inaccessibility, illiteracy, lack of awareness, poor economic conditions, cultural restrictions, and language or communication barriers were the primary barriers in acquiring everyday information. These results are useful in planning need-based information delivery system for desert communities in Pakistan as well as other developing countries in Africa and Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The argument of the paper is that media narratives serve the dual function of (de)legitimation. While manufacturing legitimizing consent for consumerism, media narratives delegitimize the old patterns of existence as well by penetrating deep in cognition and creating anomalous desires that refuse to take cultural rigidities as given. Media screens provide visual (re)presentation of real places and social arrangements; with the aim to overturn them with conceived mirror images of perfect. These narratives are endowed with the power to create new self, territorialized in heterotopias of the screen. The new personifications are contested by "pious" adherents of cultural continuity. By opting for the technique of Critical Discourse Analysis; paper aims to revisit the discourses of women empowerment and dependency, in a Hindi commercial movie "Badrinath Ki Dulhania" (Badrinath's bride) (2017), and lifestyle advertisements of Fair & Lovely (Fairness Cream) (2002-2017) telecasted across South Asia, and an android phone Q Mobile (2016) in Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores hegemony in bottom-of-the-pyramid (BOP) marketing, specifically rural distribution schemes operated through women. Using Laclau and Mouffe’s theory of discourse, the article considers the joint articulation of ‘women entrepreneurs’ through analysis of the Unilever Shakti system. It argues the discourse shapes subject positions, prescribes conduct and defines actors and the relationships between them. Discursive construction of entrepreneurs and empowered mothers obscures to an extent, economic aspects of the arrangement. It also imposes new forms of conduct without unsettling traditional hierarchies. Further research is needed in relating such schemes both to western forms of distribution and to other forms of market and models of distribution in BOP locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women’s empowerment is a new buzzword in the vocabulary of gender literature which refers to enhancing the position of women in the power structure of the society. There is a growing recognition among governments and in the private sector that investing in women and girls has a powerful multiplier effect on productivity, efficiency and economic growth. In India, the National Policy for the Empowerment of Women, 2001, presents strategies for economic and social empowerment of women. Women in urban India are at least uplifted and emancipated and granted equal status with men in many spheres of life though not completely. But without empowering rural women, can we claim women empowerment in India? Irrespective of the efforts of the government, the health needs of women and girls in rural areas are often neglected, compared to the needs of those in urban areas, and their access to health services is often too low. The focus of this article is on identifying challenges related to health issues during menstrual cycles of rural women and adolescent girls. The article discusses the various measures to improve the status of rural health scenario and contribution of various stakeholders towards this. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research note focuses on two key issues: crime against women and gender empowerment. It tries to find out, by correlation analysis, any existing relationship between the rising crime rate against women in India and various parameters for measuring the extent of gender parity. Statistics of National Crime Records Bureau and Gender Gap Reports constitute the dataset for the research note. This simple analysis is undertaken for a time period of eight years (2006–2013) and reveals that there is a negative, high, and significant correlation between the extent of violence that women face and female-to-male labour force participation rate. The note concludes that increasing political representation and educational opportunities for females will be ineffective in reducing gender-based violence, unless adequate measures are taken for reducing the gender gap in labour force participation and earned income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women representation in decision-making and law-making is considered as a vital step in women empowerment. The Martial Law regime of General Pervez Musharraf1 brought in a drastic change in the composition of Pakistani legislatures at both central and provincial levels and has increased 17 per cent of reserved seats for women in 2002. However, this was much less than the 33 per cent stated in Strategic Objective G-2 in the plan. This step was deemed as a landmark in materialising the long-cherished dream of empowering Pakistani women. The purpose of this study is to assess the discourse on women's political empowerment and their level of participation in mainstream politics by analysing the gender gaps in the Election Laws—General Elections of 2002, 2008 and 2013. Women are now present in all the legislative assemblies of Pakistan from more than a decade. How far this change has remained useful in addressing and solving the problems faced by Pakistani women? Furthermore, how these women legislators have performed on specific women-related issues or is this step just an extension of strengthening the dominant families in Pakistani politics? The issue of quota discourses in the Parliament is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Domestic violence is a major contributor to physical and mental ill health of women and is evident, to some degree, in every society in the world. The World Health Organization reports that globally 29% to 62% of women have experienced physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner. Ending gender discrimination and all forms of violence against women requires an understanding of the prevailing culture of bias and violence. The present study was conducted in a rural area in India. Focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted among married women in the age group of 18 to 35 years. Physical violence was a major cause of concern among these women. Some women had to suffer even during pregnancy. An alcoholic husband emerged as the main cause for domestic violence. Husbands’ relatives instigating wife beating was also common. Majority of the women preferred to remain silent despite being victimized. The women feared to resort to law because of implications such as social isolation. To address this, all sectors including education, health, legal, and judicial must work in liaison. Gender inequality must be eliminated and equal participation of women in the decision-making and development processes must be ensured. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]