Women's rights and issues have always been the subject of serious concern for the academicians, intelligentsia and policy makers. From the pastoral society to the contemporary information and the global society, the role of Women has been changed drastically. The role of a typical house wife who used to cater to all the requirements in the house holds including the rearing and upbringing of the children and in various sub-roles of daughter, daughter-in-law, wife, mother, aunt etc. has been played quite efficiently.

The continuity of changes in the socio-economic and psycho-cultural aspects of the human living has influenced the role of Women. With the process of Globalization, Industrialization and Modernization showing its deep impact in the human society all over the world, the role and responsibilities of the Women has attained a new definition and perspective. This has also led to the addition of responsibilities and widened the role of Women who started sharing the financial responsibilities.

The Women issues have received a tremendous attention in the planning circle and in the wide intellectual discussions and the forums at the national and the global platforms. The existing lacuna in the formulation and the execution of the policies has not changed the grass root situation. In the South Asian countries there have been a relatively increasing economic participation in the past one decade. Statistically the rate of literacy among the Women has increased. The educational and occupational patterns have changed and widened with the Women entering the domains, which till a decade back was considered to be domain of men.

There has been an encouraging rise in the percentage of the Women joining service sector especially Information Technology and Banking. In the background of the gigantic transformation, the core issue, that of Women's right and empowerment, still remains unanswered. The Women’s rights are the means by which a dignified living is ensured, safeguarding their privileges. The basic fundamental rights of speech, freedom and decision-making are the basic rights of women as an individual and citizen.

The right for education and employment are very much significant for Women development and the national development in a wider sense.

The power and freedom for exercising these rights is termed as Women empowerment. Women’s rights and empowerment are not at all independent of each other. The Women empowerment can only be facilitated, if she is able to exercise her right and knowledge in the socio-economic spheres of decision-making.

By Premji