| Paper | GS Paper 1 |
| Word Limit | 150 words |
| Syllabus Topic | Salient features of Indian Society – Role of women and women’s organisation |
Model Answer
Gender concerns decide who actually benefits from public policy. Three linked ideas guide this: equality, equity and empowerment.
Equity is the means, empowerment the process, equality the goal
Distinguishing the Concepts
- Gender equality (goal): Equal rights, opportunities and outcomes for all genders. Articles 14 and 15 guarantee it.
- Gender equity (means): Fair treatment based on different starting points. Article 15(3) allows special provisions for women. The 73rd Amendment reserves one-third panchayat seats for them.
- Women’s empowerment (process): Women gain the power to make their own choices, for example through SHGs under DAY-NRLM.
Why Gender Concerns Matter in Programmes
- Different needs: Women carry most unpaid care work. Gender-blind schemes miss this.
- Better results: PM Ujjwala Yojana gave LPG connections in women’s names, reducing indoor smoke.
- Funds tracking: Gender Budgeting (since 2005–06) shows money spent on women.
- Targeting: Sex-disaggregated data helps monitoring.
Conclusion
Equity is the road and empowerment the vehicle; equality is the destination. Gender-sensitive design is essential to achieve SDG 5 and an inclusive Viksit Bharat.
Related PYQs
- Examine the role of ‘Gig Economy’ in the process of empowerment of women in India. (2021)
- “Empowering women is the key to control population growth”. Discuss (2019)
- What are the continued challenges for women in India against time and space? (2019)
Also read: Joint Family Life Cycle – GS1 2014 Model Answer | See all: Society Mains (GS I) Previous Year Questions
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