Women's Empowerment - M. R. Biju - Mittal Publications

Women's Empowerment

US$55.00

Author : M. R. Biju
ISBN : 81-8324-062-3
Year of Publication : 2006
Place of Publication : New Delhi
Edition : 1st
Physical Description : xx+236 p.p.
Language : English

About the Book : The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to take part in the government of his/her country. The United Nations Economic and Social Council endorsed a target of 30 per cent women at all levels of decision-making by 1995. Inspite of this, globally women constitute only ten per cent of legislative bodies and less in parliamentary positions. In India, the post-independence period has seen many positive steps to improve the socio-economic status of women. Women themselves have become keenly aware of their rights and are spearheading movements across the country against all sorts of social evils. This consciousness is largely due to an increase in women’s literacy although they have miles and miles to go. The most significant landmark in the journey is the historic 73rd and 74th Constitution Amendment Acts, 1992, by the Centre and its ratification by the states. These Constitution Amendment Acts reserved one-third seats for women in the Panchayati Raj and Municipal bodies. Against this background, this collection of sixteen articles contributed by renowned academicians and experienced administrators embodies critical analysis of various aspects of women's empowerment both in practical and theoretical terms and makes valuable suggestions for uplifting their socio-political-economic conditions. The volume contains in-depth and illuminating discussions on wide ranging issues and areas of women’s empowerment viz., politics of women’s reservation in India, success stories on manipulative mechanisms, women’s reservation bill, women and grassroot politics, women in panchayati raj institutions, political empowerment through capacity building, political participation of women in SAARC region, gender issues of tribal women, socio-economic life of tribal women, empowerment of women and law, rural credit and empowerment of women under self-help groups, Islam and sexual equality, gender learning perspectives of computer related attitudes, empowering women by safeguarding their human rights based on international standards and Indian law, women in grassroots participatory governance, role of women in the decentralized governance of educational sector and the role of IT for women's empowerment.

About the Author : M.R. Biju (b. 1965), recipient of the Post-Doctoral Research Award of the University Grants Commission, is a prolific writer on socio-political and developmental issues. He has published six outstanding books and seventy research papers published in the prestigious journals. Some of these have been abstracted in the International Political Science Abstracts. He is also editing an International Journal:South Asian Journal of Socio-Political Studies (SAJOSPS). His books include (1) Politics of Democracy and Decentralization in India (1997), (2) Dynamics of New Panchayati Raj System: Reflections and Retrospections (1998). (3) Parliamentary Democracy and Political Change in India (1999), (4) India’s Foreign Policy: Towards a New Millennium (2000) (5) Decentralization: The Indian Experience (2006) and (6) Human Rights in a Developing. Society (2006). Dr. Biju obtained his PhD on Panchayati Raj in Kerala in 1991 and started his career in the Institute of Social-Science, New Delhi in a research project on the Present Status and Future Prospects of Panchayati Raj in India. In 1994 he joined the faculty of Sree Narayana College, Kollam, University of Kerala. Dr. Biju has successfully guided doctoral students of University of Kerala and also been serving on the Grassroots Governance Journal and the Indian Journal of Education, Politics and Administration as a Member of the Editorial Advisory Board. He has presented a number of research papers in seminars and conferences on a wide range of areas : decentralization, democracy, development, electoral politics, environmental issues, etc.