Research Papers
Womens Economic Empowernment : A Literature Review
Achieving women’s economic empowerment is dependent on the interplay of a number of factors. First and foremost are the gender norms that dictate women’s role in society. While in some countries women are actively discouraged from engaging in paid work, in many others, the gender division of labour within the house hold limits time and opportunities available for women to partake in income generating activities. Even when women do engage in wage work, that is often at the cost of her rest and leisure. Although improved access to resources (such as water and electricity) and better public infrastructure (such as transportation) helps cut down on the time spent on unpaid household chores, women may not be able to use the time saved to engage in income-generating activities unless they also have access to markets or credit facilities. In other words, a number of other factors should come into play to enable women to earn income and realize economic empowerment.