Roles, Responsibilities, and Trends of NGOs in Women Empowerment
| Published date | 01 July 2014 |
| Author | Muthusami Kumaran |
| DOI | 10.1177/0019556120140317 |
| Date | 01 July 2014 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND TRENDS OF
NGOs IN WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
MUTHUSAMI KUMARAN
The most severe social injustice which continues to exist
in
Indian society is gender inequality that subjects women
to
various forms
of
male domination and discrimination. Due to
their mission alignments
for
the advancement
of
women,
women empowerment NGOs are a natural fit
in
responding
to
the overall issue
of
gender injustice that threatens
(o
undermine
the society at large.
"To call woman the weaker sex is a libel; it is man's injustice to woman.
If
by strength is meant brute strength, then, indeed,
is
woman less brute
than man.
If
by strength is meant moral power, then woman is immeasurably
man's superior. Has she not greater intuition, is she not more self-sacrificing,
has she not greater powers
of
endurance, has she not greater courage?
Without her, man could not be.
If
nonviolence is the law
of
our being, the
future is with woman. Who can make a more effective appeal to the heart
than woman?"
-Mahatma
Gandhi
INTRODUCTION
INDIA,
AS
a society, has made tremendous strides in various socio-
economic and political fronts since Independence. The economic growth
of
the nation during the past two decades has been phenomenal. In spite
of
all these achievements, the nation is far behind in a few core areas
of
human dignity and social justice. Among them, gender injustice and
oppressions through the caste system are the most serious. These two
injustices have, often in combination, played unabated roles throughout
the history
of
India with serious results in denial and outright restrain
of
the rights
of
women in various aspects
of
social life. Gender discrimination
and women's rights abuse have been systemic and deep-rooted problems
with various dimensions (religious, cultural, economic, etc.) across the
country. In the name
of
religion, tradition, and culture, social groups,
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