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Synopsis The book is the outcome of an intensive research undertaken in three village of Bhojpur Block of Sub Division Modi Nagar of District Ghaziabad in Western Uttar Pradesh under the 'Research Award Scheme' of University Grants Commission to understand the complex and inextricably woven interactions and inter-linkages between the essential proxies or elements of women empowerment and the prevailing formal and informal social and cultural institutions. This microscopic study projecting panoramic view of the status of women in India aimed at testing the hypothesis that "Focusing only on the elements like improving females' education and skills and health care; providing employment for cash income as well as credit to individual woman or group of women; allowing them in political process of decision making and participation etc; will not result in visible improvement in the status unless challenges are also posed to discriminatory institutions.

The book extensively reviews literature on the status of women in pre independent India as well as the major studies on the concept of 'Empowerment' in general and 'Empowering Women' in particular and the development efforts made by the government since independence for emancipation of women in various fields and how far these efforts have been successful in mainstreaming of women and practicing the gender justice in the society. A 'women empowerment index' in constructed to assess the women's situation over a period of time as well as across the regions. An analytical framework for examining the gender inequalities generated by key institutions through which development takes place occupies a central place in the book. This study identified the strategic or critical areas requiring attention for the women's empowerment and essentially focuses on the institutionalization of the process of women empowerment at various levels. The findings of the study will be useful for the planners, policy makers or those involved in implementation and practicing of the women empowerment at the grass root level across the country.