Women Empowerment for Gender Equality Volume 2 [PDF, E-Book]

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Women Empowerment for Gender Equality Volume 2

Diverse Initiatives from Across the World

Anita Brandon (Ed.)

by Afsaneh Tavassoli (Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran), Afsaneh Tavassoli (Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran), Maliheh Abedi (Payame Noor University (PNU), Tehran, Iran), Ruchira Bhattacharya (National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRD&PR)-Delhi Branch, India), Justina Olufunke Aruna (Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria), Tarushikha Sarvesh (Advanced Centre for Women’s Studies, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, UP, India), Hamida Mosharraf Moniea (North South University, Bangladesh), Tasnim Tarannum (North South University, Bangladesh), Chandra Shekhar Singhal (National Institute of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, (NIRD & PR), Hyderabad, India), Veronica Valencia Gonzalez (University of South Carolina, USA), Kathleen Anangwe (University of Nairobi, Kenya)

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"Women Empowerment for Gender Equality Volume 2: Diverse Initiatives from across the World," edited by Ms. Anita Brandon and published by Vernon Press, USA, is a collection of eight articles contributed by authors of repute drawn from Asia, Africa and North America.
The carefully selected articles focus on gender equality as seen through the lens of women drawn from diverse segments of society. Contributing authors have focused on challenges faced by women as well as the solutions thereto. The range of issues faced by women belonging to the marginalized caste and elderly group in India, the immigrant women in the USA, as well as women in Africa, is mind-boggling. The response of national governments, civil society organizations and women themselves has been documented in great detail by the contributing authors.
This volume definitely adds to the considerable body of literature on women's empowerment and gender equality. It is the focus on solutions which set these writings apart.
A must-read for practitioners, activists and students alike.

Sunil Kumar
Prolific Writer on Policy Issues
Former Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India and now Visiting Faculty, Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune & Member, Pune International Centre, India

Both volumes represent a range of initiatives and case studies aimed at promoting women’s empowerment and gender equality across different settings in various countries. It starts with where the editor Anita Brandon explains how she contributed in her home State Rajasthan to the reserved minimum of 33% of seats for women in local governments through the 73rd & 74th Constitutional Amendments of 1992 in India. However, translating the Amendments into action turned her lifelong focus. Apart from her own firsthand experiences, it also resulted in searching for how other institutions in and outside India arrive at full participation of women in local institutions. It is amazing how she managed to show and analyse so many cases, and they turn out to be excellent documents for both Practitioners and Researchers interested in deepening their understanding, but also to find practical approaches for Women’s participation at all levels, including the poor and not least of traditional communities. She deserves a love compliment from all the women she managed to reach out to and give them a voice.

Ms. L.M. Maarse
Formerly with SDC, India and also worked with FAO, IFAD and other International Agencies
Team Leader in above International Agencies and now a Retired Rural Development Practitioner, The Netherlands

The development truism that if the SDG 5 gets the attention it deserves, most of the other SDGs would automatically be realized is well illustrated by the beautiful anthology of experiences from diverse countries at different stages of development and even during conflict times, as in the case of Ukraine. It shows how the agency of women gets strengthened through development and social initiatives ingrained in the public policy of nations, with the support of UN agencies and NGOs, complemented by civil society actions mainly through women’s collectives; it captures the multifaceted concept of empowerment in an easy and attractive way. It covers the whole gamut from theory and concept to individual case studies and also ranges from basic livelihoods to more ambitious enterprises to human development, both education and health, social development, especially for elders and marginalized groups, and ultimately, legal and political empowerment, particularly at the grassroots level in Local Governments.
The beauty of these two Volumes is that they expound the concepts in simple language and illustrate them through caselets and experiences, and list out initiatives from a wide range of countries which can strengthen women’s empowerment in different ways. The most fascinating and promising one seems to be the Self Help Groups of Women federated into a larger collective working as equal partners with elected Local Governments and creating a demand for development from below, almost forcing positive responses from different levels of Government. It would not be wrong if the two Volumes are described as textbooks of theory, policy and practice.

S.M. Vijayanand
Former Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India, India;
Former Chief Secretary, Kerala, India

This volume brings together powerful voices and lived experiences from across the globe, spotlighting how women are transforming their realities through health initiatives, education, entrepreneurship, social activism, and legal reforms. From rural India to urban Kenya, from the classrooms of Bangladesh to the legislative halls of the U.S., these stories reveal the multiple layers of struggle and strength that define the global movement for gender equality. Drawing from regions as diverse as Iran, Nigeria, and Latin America, the case studies dive deep into the intersections of gender with caste, age, class, and migration, showing how empowerment is not one-size-fits-all, but built through cultural context, resilience, and community.
At the heart of this collection is a bold call to action: to rethink how we measure progress and to center women’s realities in policymaking and advocacy. Whether addressing reproductive health, digital entrepreneurship, or the challenges of elderly and immigrant women, the book highlights strategies that are as practical as they are inspiring. Finally, it offers a rich, comparative lens on how far we’ve come—and how much further we must go—to achieve true gender equality.

List of Tables
List of Figures
Acknowledgements
Foreword
Prof. Vibhuti Patel
Impact and Policy Research Institute, Delhi
Prologue: Introduction to the Book Volumes on Women Empowerment: Inspiring Initiatives from Across the World
Anita Brandon
Editor
Introduction to Volume 2: Women Empowerment for Gender Equality: Diverse Initiatives from Across the World
Anita Brandon
Editor
Chapter One
Where do we Stand in Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment?
AfsanehTavassoli
Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran
MalihehAbedi
Payame Noor University (PNU), Tehran, Iran
Chapter Two
Women’s Reproductive Health Outcomes and Their Correlates in Rural India
Ruchira Bhattacharya
National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj
(NIRD&PR)-Delhi Branch, India
Chapter Three
Women Are No Longer Chattel: A View from Nigeria’s Social Space
Justina Olufunke Aruna
Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria
Chapter Four
Intersectional Realities of Empowerment: Women from the Marginalized Caste Groups
Tarushikha Sarvesh
Advanced Centre for Women’s Studies, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, UP, India
Chapter Five
Women in Tertiary Education in Bangladesh: A Conceptual Framework for Advancing Quality Education and Gender Equality
Hamida Mosharraf Moniea
North South University, Bangladesh
Tasnim Tarannum
North South University, Bangladesh
Chapter Six
Empowering Elderly Women: Initiatives in India
Chandra Shekhar Singhal
National Institute of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, (NIRD & PR), Hyderabad, India
Chapter Seven
Empowering U.S. Policies for Immigrant Women Surviving Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)
Veronica Valencia Gonzalez
University of South Carolina, USA
Chapter Eight
The Empowering Impact of Social Media on Women Entrepreneurs in Kenya
Kathleen Anangwe
University of Nairobi, Kenya
About the Contributors
Index

Prof. Dr. Anita Brandon is a Ph.D. in Social Science from the University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, India and also has a PG Diploma in Human Rights Law from the National Law School of India University, Bangalore. She has been a ‘Professor of Practice’, promoting Human Resource Development at several State and National Training Institutions of eminence. Her areas of Research and Training are: Mainstreaming Gender in Development, Panchayati Raj, Decentralized Governance, Rural Development, Tribal Development, Human Development and Human Rights. She is a Member of the International Sociological Association-Research Committee 32 on Women, Gender and Society. In her professional experience spanning 40 years as a thought leader and mentor, she has trained students, teachers, trainers, administrators, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and elected representatives and officials of PRIs. She has also been invited for Gender Sensitization Training of Women Members of Parliament, Policy Planners and Senior Government Officers. She has edited and authored several books, journals and training publications. She has also been an expert member of an Advisory Committee for Empowering Women Elected Representatives of PRIs, constituted by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India, in 2023. She has been assisting UNFPA India as a Senior Consultant, after her superannuation as a Professor in July 2020 from the State Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (SIRD&PR), Rajasthan, India. She holds equal felicity in writing and speaking in English and Hindi and is a sought-after expert for addressing participants in Conferences, Workshops, and Trainings of reputed Organizations at the Global, National and State Levels. She has facilitated many Training Projects supported by UNDP, UNICEF, UN Women, UNFPA, The World Bank and SDC for Capacity Building of PRIs and GRG- Gender Responsive Governance in India. She is also a regular speaker on Mass Media - TV and Radio, on areas of her interest.

Gender Equality, Women Empowerment, Women in Special Categories, Women Survivors of IPV/GBV, Women in Education, Women's Reproductive Health, Intersectional Realities of Empowerment, Women and Social Media for their Empowerment