Education as a Tool to Women Empowerment

Abstract

Women play a major role in a country's political, social cultural, educational and economic development. Empowering or entrusting power upon them means allowing and accepting their full participation in all realms of life for better families, society and nation. But the scene has not always been the same. In ancient times, women enjoyed equal status and respect in the society. Vedas are proof to the fact that women were scholars and sages, and enjoyed power and equal status in the vedic age. However, the Brahmanic age saw a setback in the status of women, which further deteriorated during the Muslim rule. Evil practices and discrimination were seen in the form of purdah system, sati, child marriage, denial of education to girls, besides many others. Again, female  inferiority was preached during the British rule. But with the dawn of freedom, an urgent need for feminine emancipation was felt. It was established that without the support  and strength of women folk, political, economic, domestic and educational upliftment of the country was not possible. Therefore educating women became one of the priorities of free India.