Empowered Women Ennobled Humans: Enabling Dignity and Equality

About the Book "Harnessing Woman Power for the and enhancement of society has become imperative in today's context of rising inequalities and injustice, world over. The fact that the vast majority of women are still unseen, unheard and unsung, is a sad commentary on the priorities and values that guide the leaders and policy makers at every single aspect and level of human interaction.... I am heartened to see a group of young scholars, mainly women, coming together to voice their views on the subject of Women Empowerment and its diverse forms while also pointing out some practical methods to bring about the desired change. The papers here reveal a strong foundation of well-studied opinions and findings."

About the Author Dr. Thomas Karimundackal, SJ is the Professor of Old Testament and Biblical Languages at the Faculty of Theology, Jnana-Deepa Vidyapeeth, Pune, and currently serves as the Head of the Department of Scripture Studies, and Coordinator of the Masters Programme in Biblical Studies at Jnana-Deepa Vidyapeeth, Pune.

Dr. Sony J. Chundattu, CMI is the Director of Christ College, Pune, and author of the book Calotropis: An elixir for liver. He is conferred with FELLOW award from IBRF for his outstanding contribution in the field of Academic Administration. He is also the recipient of Golden Award of Human Excellence for Global Peace from United Nations University for Global Peace, USA and World Peace Excellence Award 2018 from World Achievers Foundation, Kolkata.

Preface Harnessing "Woman Power" for the progress and enhancement of society has become an imperative in today's context of rising inequalities and injustice, world over. The fact that the vast majority of women are still unseen, unheard and unsung, is a sad commentary on the priorities and values that guide the leaders and policy makers at every single aspect and level of human interaction. Sagas of their struggle for survival, for a life with dignity and recognition and for equitable participation in social, political, religious and cultural arenas, will fill volumes, Women are painfully aware of how long and tedious the journey to equality and equity stretches before them, but yet they do not cease to think, plan, work, organise and hope for achieving the desired goal of sustainable development, empowerment and self-determination.

It has been repeatedly emphasised with strong evidence by right-minded persons with expertise in various fields that, even if 25% of the vast potential of women is mobilised for development and growth, national and global economies would stand to gain substantially. What then holds back the powerful and the decision-makers? Is it the backlog of entrenched patriarchy, fossilised mind-sets that refuse to change, or sheer mindlessness and a deep-seated desire to keep intact the unjust status quo? Well, these need to go, just as hundreds of myths, superstitions and wrong and unjust practices have been discarded over the years in the dazzling light of science, knowledge and humanism. The dignity of the human being, irrespective of enforced class, caste, gender, religion, ethnicity and the like, similarly needs to be acknowledged and actualised.

I am heartened to see a group of young scholars, mainly women, come together to voice their views on the subject of "Women Empowerment" and its diverse forms while also pointing out some practical methods to bring about the desired change. The papers here reveal a strong foundation of well- studied opinions and findings. My felicitations to all the contributors who have helped to bring out this highly readable edition of the Christ College Research Series.

**Contents and Sample Pages**