Original Research Article
Year: 2018 | Month: December | Volume: 8 | Issue: 12 | Pages: 109-115
A Study to Assess the Empowerment of the Women Living In Urban Areas of Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India
K. Kiranmayi1, Dr. S. Hemalatha2, Dr. M. Bhagyalakshmi2
1Assistant Professor, KKC College of Nursing, Parameshwara mangalam, Puttur Andhra Pradesh, India
2Assistant Professor, Department of Mental Health Nursing, SVIMS College of Nursing, Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences University,Tirupati-517507, Andhra Pradesh, India
Corresponding Author: K. Kiranmayi
ABSTRACT
Background: Indian National policy for the empowerment of women (2001) stated that empowerment of women in political, social, cultural and civil spheres are vital for a country’s development. In India, all urban working women have proved that they not only match, but also excel men in various skills, if equal opportunities are available to them without any discrimination. The promotion of women empowerment as a development goal is based on the dual argument that social justice is an important aspect of human welfare and is intrinsically worth pursuing and that women empowerment is a means to other ends. The aim of the present study was to assess the empowerment of the women living in urban areas of Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Objectives: To measure the level of empowerment of women living in selected urban areas of Tirupati and to associate the level of women empowerment with their demographic variables.
Methodology: A descriptive study design was used to gain information about characteristics within the study. The study was conducted on women living in urban areas of Tirupati, India. Subjects were married women having children, selected by purposive sampling technique. Data was collected by administering standardized empowerment scale which collects information regarding self decisions of women in their personal, children and household affairs.
Results: The result of the study showed that more than two thirds of the subjects were always empowered in children and household affairs and two thirds of the subjects were always empowered in personal affairs; nearly one third of the subjects were sometimes empowered in personal, children and household affairs. Over all empowerment grade has shown that out of 30 sample, majority i.e. 20 (66.67%) subjects were always empowered and 10 (33.33%) subjects were sometimes empowered, which depicts that there are one third of the women population who are disempowered till today. It was also found that there is a significant association between empowerment of women with certain demographic variables such as type of family, education and income of study population.
Conclusion: Findings of the study shows that there are women who are still disempowered, suppressed by the society, which might result in psychological dissatisfaction, maladjustment in turn psychiatric ailments. Nurses working in clinical as well as the community areas need to be aware of women empowerment and impact of disempowerment on health of women in order to render holistic care to clients.
Key words: Empowerment, Women, Rural area