Effectiveness of Women Empowerment Programs in Improving Household Decision-Making

Abstract

Women empowerment programs have come up as significant programs that attempt to strengthen women's agency, autonomy and positioning in household decision-making. In many developing societies, in particular South Asia, the role of women within management of financial, health and mobility-related decisions is still limited by gender norms. This study is focusing on the success of women empowerment projects (skills development, financial inclusion schemes, awareness campaigns and community-based projects, etc) in the household in increasing women's voice and influence. Drawing on empirical research that is available, the paper describes the role that programs on empowerment play in enhancing bargaining power, access to resources, and participation in important family decisions. The analysis also identifies persistent socio-cultural barriers to limit the outcome of programs and underlines the need for context specific strategies in order to maximise the impact. Findings indicate that inclusive policies, long-term training, and community engagement lead to significantly greater levels of women's participation in household decision-making that ultimately leads to more equitable and sustainable family relationships.