Interdisciplinary Seminar:
Education for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women
Convener: Kathy Mumford, Australia

Education for the Empowerment of Women
Sabita Chuganee, Indian Federation of University Women’s Associations

In India, there are considered to be two aspects to education: Gyan and Vigyan. Gyan is theoretical knowledge or knowledge gained from books. Vigyan is empirical knowledge or knowledge based on actual personal experience . Woman in her role as mother gains empirical knowledge of being an ‘Agent of Change’ and an educator in the process of rearing her child from its initial helpless state. Is her only role as an agent of change and educator to be within the home, or has she a role in the outside world? In order to suit its own needs, tradition and conservative society do not choose to extend her role. This paper argues that a woman’s reach requires to be extended and this can be achieved through ‘education’, which is the most important means to empower woman. It asks what kind of education is needed for women to become agents of change, and whether women must change themselves in order to be effective in such a role. Examples from interviews with women who have been successful agents of change in India can give us some answers.

1.Interview with Ms. Flavia Agnes,Lawyer & Activist for Abused Women
2.Intereview with Ms.Anuradha Mahindra, Editor of a famous Indian Magazine

Professor Sabita Chuganee , who holds a BSc, Certificate in Psycho-Analytic Psychology and LLM, is currently Professor of Law in the Government Law College, Mumbai. Her publications include the New Age book, The Missing Dimension.She is currently Honorary Joint Secretary of the Indian Federation of University Women.