Empowering rural women by participating in sustainable environmental management: A case study of Banasthali University, Rajasthan

Abstract

In this paper, an attempt has been made to examine the rural women living around the Banasthali University, Rajasthan and how they empowered themselves by participating in sustainable environmental management programmes and to evolve alternative strategies of education and empowerment of rural women so as to enable them to participate, in the economic, political and social sustainable development of the rural society. The study is mainly based on the primary sources of data by putting direct personal interviews of about 100 women respondents who are engaged in these management practices. The result showed drastic changes in the different aspects of life of these women, they feel empowered economically, socially and mentally after joining in these management practices. These rural women workers have experienced an increase in income primarily because of the paid employment opportunity and benefits have been realized through income-consumption effects, intra-household effects and the enhancement of choice and capability. They can now participate equally in major household decisions and have significant influence on the choices that their children make. As women are the mirror of a society, so they need to be empowered.