Dimension Of Women’s Empowerment: Spatio- Environmental Specific Analysis in Paschim Medinipur District Of West Bengal

Abstract

Empowerment is described as an individual's ability to make choices and take decisions in life. This is a crucial component of women's lives, as they are marginalised in multiple dimensions of society. Therefore, empowering women is crucial for achieving gender equality and a decisive position in society, as they are in a better position to contribute to economic and social progress. Paschim Medinipur, a district in West Bengal, has significant diversity in its environment, physiography, socio-economic conditions, and cultural framework. This configuration results in an inconsistent empowerment status for women in the district. The primary aim of the analysis is to illustrate the spatial visualisation and mapping of women's empowerment status utilising GIS techniques for the research area. To ascertain the spatial distribution of women's empowerment status, block-level metrics such as literacy rate, gender ratio, work participation rate, and political participation rate have been selected for investigation. The mapping of diverse spatial information concerning the empowerment status of women will assist administrators and decision-makers in formulating appropriate policies and strategies for the well-being of women.