‘Empowerment in Practice and Its Impact on Political Participation’: A Study Among Working Women of South Kolkata
‘Empowerment in Practice and Its Impact on Political Participation’: A Study Among Working Women of South Kolkata

Summary/Abstract: The main purpose of the present study is to understand ‘empowerment’as observed in theory and in actual practice inthe society where women are still regarded as second-classcitizens inspite of achieving success in their chosen fields.Her freedom in choice of decision-making within the familyand civil society plays an important part in influencingher participation in politics and her voting behaviour. Bypolitical activism of the respondent we primarily mean hercognitive orientation (i.e. her knowledge about politicalparties, symbols, their stay in power and their judgementsabout political system), evaluative orientation on how politicalsystem works including her voting behaviour andpartisan preference. Survey was carried by the researcheron 1000 women working in both the organised and unorganisedsectors of the economy mainly among streetvendors and domestic workers and bank employees andteachers in Kolkata. Results: Women working in both thesectors play dual role looking after their children, eldersin the family, husbands and also contribute to the familyexpenditure but lack effective power in decision-making.They consult their husbands, elder members of the familyor the community before casting their vote and are notguided by individual preference or choice.

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