Empowerment of Rural women: A Study of Kashmir Valley

Abstract: The concept of empowerment has become a popular term used mostly by social scientists and especially by feminist scholars. It is deeply interlinked with gender equality which appears to be the ultimate goal of women empowerment. One of the vital facets of empowerment is that women being capable of participating in decision making process alike their male counterparts on all walks of life. Rural empowerment of women has emerged as an important issue in recent times. In rural areas, women being the biggest segment are the back bone of the Indian economy. They are the key agents for achieving the transformational economic, environmental and social changes required for sustainable development. The focus of this paper is to highlight the rural empowerment of women in Kashmir valley. In Kashmir valley, rural women are the most vulnerable section of the society. They not only face extreme humiliation and harassment, but also are subject to prolonged depression. Rural empowerment of woman in Kashmir valley is being regarded as sine-quo-non of progress for that very state hence, the issue of rural women empowerment in Kashmir valley is of paramount importance to political thinkers, social scientists and reformers. The self-help groups, MANREGA, Education, various schemes, Government laws and provisions, NGO’s and also self-realization have paved the way for rural empowerment of women in Kashmir valley. Through that, they are becoming independent and providing employment opportunities to others.