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Impact of Development Communication on Women's Empowerment

The definition of "development" varies from person to person and can be clarified in a variety
of situations. For instance, a population in starvation cannot have the same development
demands as one in good nutrition (Matowanyka, 1991). Economic growth that is purely
assessed in terms of annual improvements in pre-capita income or gross national product,
regardless of its distribution and the extent of people's engagement in effective growth, is
sometimes misconstrued with development (Mahmoud, 1991). Development, according to
Seers (1972), "means the conditions for realisation of the human personality."

Development entails "An improvement qualitative, quantitative, or both - in the use of available
resources," according to Pearson (1992). Additionally, he says that progress is more
comprehensive than a single viewpoint on improvements in social, political, and economic
spheres. Instead, it is a catch-all phrase for various tactics to change the environment and
socioeconomic conditions from existing to desired states.
It has long been believed that development increases the ability of individuals at the grassroots
level to positively impact their future. It entails taking the necessary steps to maximize and
broaden resources while moving toward change emphasized empowerment's value as a growth
strategy. They said appointment offers individuals the chance to contribute to and profit from
progress. In this sense, authorization needs to be combined with growth and equitable
concerns for development to be successful. (Mathur, 1985). Saes and Tason (1981) emphasized
empowerment's value as a growth strategy. They said appointment offers individuals the
chance to contribute to and profit from progress. In this sense, authorization needs to be
combined with growth and equitable concerns for development to be successful.

Societies rely on women as the key to their prosperity. Women are essential to the
development of nations, whether they be in households, communities, nations, or the
international arena. However, a patriarchal culture frequently ignores and devalues these
duties. A recent African Human Development Report (UNDP, 2016) acknowledged the
importance of women's political leadership and voice in furthering gender equality.
Women continue to be marginalised in social, political, and economic decision-making and
frequently depend on men to make life decisions for them. "If you educate a man, you educate
an individual," famous Ghanaian scholar, missionary, and educator Dr. James Emmanuel
Kwegyir Aggrey famously remarked. Education of a woman results in education of a nation
This statement rings true even today, especially with the often-inhuman treatment meted out
to women in our part of the world.
People think that women should be obedient to males. It is a typical occurrence to hear that a
woman who wants to move up the progressive ladder is being accused of sleeping her way up.
African women—and Ghanaian women, too—need to be given the confidence to emerge from
their shells, get over stigma, and assume leadership roles in their families, communities, and
country.
Dogmas from society and religion have a big part to play in pushing women aside. In fact, some
people think that women can only succeed by trading sex for material belongings and positions.
This is a societal stigma and turn-off that might deter women from reaching higher goals. Only
until women actively participate in our nation's decision-making processes will they truly be
empowered. The use of communication to support social development is known as
development communication. Through sustainable development, it involves stakeholders and
policymakers, creates a favourable atmosphere, evaluates possibilities and dangers, and
encourages information sharing in order to effect good social change.

ccc Some academics have referred to it as the satisfaction of fundamental wants. Progress
Women will be empowered to overcome development constraints via communication. As an
alternative to the traditional modernization typology and top-down development method,
development communication emerges. As a fundamental human right, participation in
development and decision-making is valued, respected, and acknowledged by the development
paradigm, the freedom to think and express oneself. The fundamental goal of development
communication is to uphold each person's right to empowerment and freedom.
Three purposes for communication exist in the development process. Development participants
first become familiar with new concepts and procedures. In this case, learning is accomplished
through conversation, which is actually a reciprocal process. People learn from development
agencies, and development agencies learn from people. People also learn from one another.
Second, development communication facilitates the redefining and changing of the self. This
process is referred to as conscientization by Paulo Freire. He created the notion of
conscientization and used it in to his literacy teaching. Conscientization is the process by which
a person develops self-awareness and the ability to evaluate their own situations in relation to
the social and political environments in which they live. Additionally, conscientization gives
people the ability to act on the decisions they make and make decisions that impact their life.
Education serves as a means of empowerment in addition to the transfer of concepts and
abilities. Similar to education, communication is a tool for empowerment. Third,
communication is the means by which relationships are formed between individuals and in the
middle of communities for a more advantageous perspective.

Development serves as the bedrock for women's empowerment, creating an environment


where women can access opportunities, exercise their rights, and contribute actively to societal
progress. Economic development, for instance, opens up avenues for women to participate in
the workforce, enabling financial independence and breaking the chains of economic
dependency. Educational development ensures that women acquire the necessary skills and
knowledge, empowering them to make informed decisions and challenge societal norms.

Healthcare development is another critical aspect, as improved health services contribute to


the well-being of women and, consequently, their ability to engage in various spheres of life.
Political development, marked by increased representation and participation of women in
decision-making processes, is a testament to the progress of a society towards gender equality.
India, with its rich tapestry of cultures and traditions, exemplifies the intricate relationship
between development and women empowerment. The nation has witnessed significant strides
in development, particularly in the economic and educational domains. However, challenges
persist, and the status of women remains a focal point for further progress.

It sounds interesting how the woman in India has been reduced from a highly dignified position
in India's mythic history to a secondary position. The media, with its reach to the general public,
has been instrumental, though not to the extent desired, in supporting the movement for
women's emancipation. Women now have greater freedom to choose and direct their own
lives, which is a step towards gender equality. Compared to their counterparts in rural and low-
income nations where resources are few and cultural impediments to gender equality exist,
women are more independent in many high-income countries. Thanks to technology, one may
now obtain educational materials and overcome gender stereotypes.

TECHNOLOGY

According to scholarly discourse, women's empowerment is facilitated by technology through


educational resources. It is unknown to what extent women were empowered across
geographical or industrial areas, what forms of technology were employed, and what
advantages they obtained, despite the appearance of research indicating how women may be
empowered with technology. Consequently, this study's goal is to carry out a systematic
review.
Technology has played a part in increasing women’s learning accessibility and choice in the
economic realm and other aspects of life. Studies have highlighted that women's learning
through access to finance, mobile money, and inclusive aspects of finance or microfinance, and
digital-based health, agriculture have promoted higher female engagement in the formal
economy and production and service sectors (Çetin et al., 2020). Technology has advanced
women's engagement in the scientific field and provided political and institutional
empowerment (Asongu & Odhiambo, 2020). Technology is the catalyst for empowerment as it
provides different ways of accomplishing tasks at any time and location. The activities can be
entirely online without leaving home if needed. Technology also offers opportunities to
enhance the learning of all possible subjects, with a wealth, women who are unable to leave
their homes but still want to start a business have benefited from technology as well. These
individuals have begun to publish their work online on platforms like Instagram and Amazon,
which allows them to earn money while maintaining their homes and remaining at home.
Dantas et al. (2021) investigated the use of mobile health applications (apps) by women to
control urine incontinence. The results of their study suggest that the applications have the
potential to help women manage their diseases.

The gender ratio has improved as a result of the Department of Science and Technology's
numerous initiatives, many of which are specifically geared towards women. This progress is
particularly noticeable at the lower levels of scientific institutes. The NASI study states that
there has been a notable rise in the proportion of women working in government laboratories
and in scientific instruction at the school level. Nonetheless, both the proportion and the
representation of women in leadership roles in science and technology continue to be low in
prestigious institutions.

The DST is progressively extending its interventions for women's engagement in S&T at
numerous levels through a variety of innovative programmes in an effort to ameliorate the
situation.

Knowledge Involvement in Research Advancement through Nurturing, or KIRAN, supports DST


programmes that are exclusively for women.

Women Scientist Scheme-A (WOS-A): The purpose of WOS-A is to give female scientists and
technicians the chance to pursue research in frontier fields of science and engineering in the
basic or applied sciences.
Women Scientists Scheme-B (WOS-B): The goal of WOS-B is to use science and technology to
address problems at the local level and improve society. Women scientists working in this field
are expected to create, adapt, transfer, and scale up lab-to-land technologies, which are largely
location-specific interventions.

EDUCATION

Education and income are key components of women's empowerment. . Conversely, it is


plausible that a woman possesses some education. But because she isn't making money, she is
still powerless. Therefore, having financial security is crucial for empowering women. When
compared to workers who lack education, educated women hold far superior positions in our
society. As a result, a programme known as working women hostels has been introduced to
give working women access to accessible and safe housing. Every working woman is eligible for
this scheme's benefits, regardless of her caste, religion, marital status, or other characteristics.
The government now prioritises women-led development above women-only development.
The government is working nonstop to increase women's access to education, skill
development, and institutional credit in order to meet this aim. One such programme, called
MUDRA Yojana (Micro Units Development and Refinance agency Ltd.), was introduced on April
8, 2015, and offers uncollateralized loans to women entrepreneurs up to Rs. 10 lakh.
Furthermore, education serves as a trigger to end the intergenerational cycle of poverty. An
educated woman makes an excellent contribution to her offspring's education, influencing
future generations. Prominent female achievers such as Arundhati Bhattacharya and Malala
Yousafzai are prime examples of education's transformational potential in forming change-
makers and leaders.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP
There are various challenges faced by women entrepreneur such as limited finance, access to
limited connections, family duties, lack of training and the solution to such problems have been
offered by the government in various ways such as :

A government initiative called Stand-Up India Scheme seeks to encourage women and other
underprivileged groups to start their own businesses. In order to build a greenfield enterprise, it
offers bank loans to at least one borrower from a scheduled caste (SC) or scheduled tribe and
one woman each bank branch. For non-individual businesses, a woman or SC/ST entrepreneur
must own the majority interest and at least 51% of the ownership. Women entrepreneurs can
apply for loans under this plan, which range from ₹10 lakh to ₹1 crore, to launch or grow their
small businesses.

Mahila Coir Programme


The goal of Mahila Coir Yojana (MCY) is to empower women by offering discounted spinning
equipment to those who have completed appropriate skill development programmes. Women
business owners can get up to a 75% discount on the price of machinery and equipment
needed to produce coir under this programme. Additionally, a margin money subsidy of up to
25% of the project cost is offered under the plan. All rural women artisans who have completed
a coir yarn spinning training curriculum at one of the Coir Board's training facilities and are
above the age of eighteen are eligible for the project.

Assistance and Development for Trade-Related Entrepreneurship (TREAD)


Through the provision of funding (via NGOs), training, development, and counselling, as well as
expansion activities related to trades, commodities, and services, among other things, this
effort seeks to economically empower women. To encourage entrepreneurship among specific
categories of women, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) get grants from the
Government of India (GoI) for up to thirty percent of the project's total cost, as evaluated by
the lending agency. The lending organisation provides a loan for the remaining 70% of the
project cost, which is used to fund the project's specified operations.

MATERNAL HEALTH
In order to end all preventable maternal and newborn deaths and morbidities and to provide a
positive birthing experience, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India,
has launched a new initiative called "SUMAlV—Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan." The initiative's
goals are to provide every woman and newborn visiting a public health facility with assured,
dignified, respectful, and quality healthcare at no cost, with zero tolerance for denial of
services."Zero Preventable Maternal and Newborn Deaths and high qualily of maternity care
delivered with dignity and respect" is the anticipated consequence of this new programme.

Economic
Economic development is a cornerstone for women's empowerment, offering them avenues
for financial independence and breaking free from traditional roles. In India, the economic
landscape has witnessed significant transformations, especially with the growth of the service
sector and entrepreneurship. Women's participation in the formal workforce has increased,
challenging stereotypes and contributing to the economic prosperity of their families
India's economic development has opened up new opportunities for women. The growth of
industries and the service sector has created employment avenues, allowing women to break
free from traditional roles as homemakers. For example, the expansion of the information
technology sector in cities like Bangalore and Hyderabad has seen a surge in women joining the
workforce, challenging societal norms, and contributing to the economic prosperity of their
families.
For example, women in rural India have significantly benefited from the microfinance
revolution. Having historically been denied access to formal banking, women now have access
to financing, allowing them to launch and grow small companies. Their economic independence
raises their self-esteem and positively impacts the community.

Obstacles and the Path Ahead:

Even with the advancements, India still faces difficulties. Issues that require immediate
addressing include gender-based violence, unequal access to healthcare, and a persisting
gender wage gap. Development programmes must be supported by focused policies that
address these issues if full women's empowerment is to be achieved. In conclusion, the
relationship between development and women's empowerment is symbiotic, each reinforcing
the other. The Indian experience demonstrates that progress in one development dimension
positively impacts women's lives. However, a concerted effort is required to address persistent
challenges and ensure inclusive and equitable development. As India continues on its path of
development, prioritising women's empowerment will not only enhance the status of women
but also contribute significantly to the overall progress and prosperity of the nation.

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