The Role of Education in the Empowerment of Women in a District of West Bengal, India: Reflections on a Survey of Women

摘要

This article aims to probe the role of education in the empowerment of women in the district of Malda, West Bengal, India. In an exhaustive survey comprising forty two villages, the article tries to unearth the status of women, attitude towards girls’ education in society, problems hindering the education of women, the importance of marriage in women’s life affecting education as well as the empowerment of women. The article also highlights that educated and economically empowered women have said a firm “no” to the prevalent malice of the dowry, thus directly bearing the fruit of economic empowerment in society of Malda district of West Bengal. Finally some recommendations have been made to eradicate the practice of intra-household and social discrimination of girl child and women. Empowerment through education has emerged as the only way to put an end to the horrors of dowry, as established by the survey.