Poverty is gender-specific because women suffer from systematic social injustice due to their gender. They are exploited and oppressed not only as human being but also as women. The economic independence has been identified as a precondition for attaining women’s freedom. Thus, DWCRA – a sub-scheme of IRDP has been introduced with a broader objective of raising the economic status of women with the hope of improving their social status too. Therefore, the study is undertaken with the main objective of assessing the impact of DWCRA on the work, income and status of rural women. The economic success of the programme in terms of generating work and income is necessary but not sufficient condition to achieve an improvement in the status of women. Their position within the family as well as in the society is also equally influenced by socio-cultural conditions determined by patriarchy. Therefore, the present study specifically examined women’s status within the family and their participation in social and political decision-making process, which is considered to be the prime ingredient of women’s empowerment. Thus, the study is useful for the academicians, policy makers and activists who are involved in making rural women economically independent, socially conscious and politically active.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Thota Jyothi Rani
Dr. T. Jyothi Rani, at present, has been working as Professor of Economics, Kakatiya University, Warangal, Andhra Pradesh. She belongs to 1st batch of Kakatiya University. She did her M.A. (Economics) and Ph.D. from Kakatiya University. She has been teaching in the same university for the past 28 years. Her research areas of interest have been Women’s Studies, Political Economy, Environmental Economics, and Industrial Economics. So far, she has published 10 books, 100 research articles and presented papers in 120 seminars/conferences, and edited 5 books. Further, she has carried out 6 projects sponsored by UGC, Ministry of Labour, and DRDA. Under her guidance, 9 M.Phils and 6 Ph.Ds are awarded. She has prepared resource material for Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University, Hyderabad and SDLCE, Kakatiya University not only in the subject of economics but also for M.A. Political Science (political economy) and M.Sc. Environmental Sciences (environmental economics). In addition, she has administrative experience also. She served the institution as Principal, Head, Chair-Person, Board of Studies and Chair Person, Women’s Welfare Committee. Her research work, which is addressed women’s question extensively published in regional language. She was the 1st in A.P. to introduce an optional paper on “Economics of Women’s Studies†for the students of M.A. Economics. Moreover, she is the founder member of “Society for Women’s Studies and Developmentâ€, a non-funded voluntary organization came into existence in 1982 for the cause of women. At present, she is the convener of the society. On behalf of the society, she has organized National/Regional level seminars, discussions, published 7 books and various pamphlets on the contemporary burning issues related to women’s question to educate and mobilize women. The society used to form “Fact Finding Committees†whenever there are atrocities on women. Family counseling also one of the important programmes taken up by the association. She herself involved in Anti-Arrack Movement strongly emerged during 1991-92 in Andhra Pradesh. Further, she is associated with various spontaneous movements, which took place for the cause of women.
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