Author: Dr. Arfi Anjoon
DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.70798/Bijmrd/02090025
ABSTRACT: Women’s empowerment has emerged as a central concern in gender studies, development discourse, and public policy. Education and economic participation are widely regarded as critical pathways through which women acquire agency, autonomy, and decision-making power. However, empowerment is not a linear outcome of access alone; it is shaped by complex social, cultural, and institutional forces. This paper critically examines the role of education and economic participation in advancing women’s empowerment from a gender studies perspective. Drawing upon feminist theory, the capability approach, and empirical literature, the study analyses how education and economic engagement influence women’s autonomy at individual, household, and societal levels. The paper highlights structural barriers, intersectional inequalities, and institutional constraints that limit transformative empowerment. The analysis further identifies pathways for sustainable empowerment through policy reform, gender-responsive education, and inclusive economic strategies. The study contributes to contemporary debates by emphasizing that women’s empowerment must be understood as a multidimensional, context-specific, and transformative process.
Keywords: Women Empowerment, Education, Economic Participation, Gender Studies, Autonomy.
Page No: 214-219