Capability Enhancement of Women through Information Technology to Reduce Poverty, Inequality and Radical Feminism

This paper considers the development of women (especially rural and the poor) as the central aspect to the poverty alleviation and reduction of inequality. The paper proposes an extensive usage of information technology to enhance the ‘capability’ (as in the concept of ‘Capability Approach’ by Prof. Amrtya Sen) of women so as to reduce poverty and inequality. The paper is suggestive of examples of few prominent business oriented and development related efforts designed and executed for the development of women by Government and other organizations and is logically indicative of the idea that those efforts would have given wondrous results, if information technology would have played a role there. One of the examples quoted in the paper would be DWCRA (the development of women and children in rural areas) scheme. The Paper actually emphasizes on the fact and proposes that Radical Feminism may be reduced through the ‘Capability Development’ of women through Business Opportunity Development, through the usage of Information and Communication Technology. The paper further quotes few examples of ICT based efforts in other South Asian Countries also. DOI: 10.4018/jabim.2012010101 2 International Journal of Asian Business and Information Management, 3(1), 1-10, January-March 2012 Copyright © 2012, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited. dependable on the development of women is not taking a quantum leap? The answer to this is radical feminism and the cultural exploitation of women in this part of the world that is whole of the south Asia. The paper also takes note of the truth found out and quoted as “Is there anything else she would like to do? Her eyes suddenly light up, as if my words hold a promise. ‘Teach me a craft. Show me how else I can use my hands. I want to earn more, live better’. The girls in the village across the bridge are learning to spin. I would also like to” (Anees, 1985). Further, this paper strongly takes note of the findings and the expressions in ‘Beyond the Courtyard’ (Anees, 2003). To strengthen its central thought and proposition a primary research was conducted in the villages of Uttar Pradesh especially around the capital city Lucknow, wherein development is keeping pace with the other parts of India, but to the proponents surprise a startling fact which emerged was that even in the villages in the proximity of a large city like Lucknow development is far behind especially with the perspective of the development of the females. First of all the study analyzed that if at all there is a factor of radical feminism prevailing in the villages and is it actually felt by the women? Simultaneously a major objective of the study was to analyze that if earnings of a women, work a women does to make herself financially capable reduces the levels of radical feminism the female faces. Details of the Research Conducted and the Associated Methodology The Study: The objective of the study was to find out that if the earnings of women in rural areas are helpful in reducing the radical feminism and they are getting independent and having a respectable position in the society because of their earnings and work. Study Methodology: To collect the data for study, target population was identified as earning rural women in the villages near the Lucknow City. There in the villages these women were involved in different types of professions. Our questionnaire was based on rural women’s earnings but Figure 1. Application of information and communication technology for facilitating the enhancement of business opportunities to enhance the levels of capability so as to reduce radical feminism 8 more pages are available in the full version of this document, which may be purchased using the "Add to Cart" button on the product's webpage: www.igi-global.com/article/capability-enhancement-womenthrough-information/64229?camid=4v1 This title is available in InfoSci-Journals, InfoSci-Journal Disciplines Business, Administration, and Management. Recommend this product to your librarian: www.igi-global.com/e-resources/libraryrecommendation/?id=2