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"Empowering women is the key to control population growth". Discuss (UPSC GS1 2019)

Introduction
Empowerment refers to measures designed to increase the degree of autonomy and self-determination in people and in communities in order to enable them to represent their interests in a responsible and self-determined way, acting on their own authority. It is the process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one’s life and claiming one’s rights.
Problem of population growth:

• The population growth is the big challenge which is being faced by India. It is affecting the polity, economy, society of the country. It is also affecting rate of Urbanization and Modernization. The Economic Survey (2018-19) has mentioned the steps to tackle Population Growth. 

How women empowerment will help in tackling population growth: 

• Political Empowerment would result in increase in women’s participation in the political processes, structures, institutions. This would enhance the voice of women at different platforms. Hence, women will be able to raise awareness about need of small families and birth control. At the same time increased awareness will lead to spread of benefits of smaller families. 
• Economic Empowerment: This will lead to the participation of women in the economic activities. This will lead to the increase in the family income and also improve the situation of women in making financial decisions. Thus there will be less requirement of income generating options one of which is, giving birth to more children. Thus this would lead to population check. 
• Social Empowerment: This would result in the improved status and boost confidence of the women. This confidence would ultimately affect the decision making ability of the women. They would be able to take decisions regarding number of children they want. Thus it can check the population growth. 
• Constitutional Empowerment: This would result in raise in awareness of the women about their constitutional rights including right to life and liberty, freedom, and equality. Hence women will be able to make choices in the family planning and number of children they want to have. Thus it would lead to tackling population growth. 
• Technological Empowerment: If women are able to use technology like mobile phones etc, they would be able to receive the information about the advantages of small families and right age of having children. Also this would lead to the improved reproductive and general health of women. As the women would be aware of the options of various birth control measures like pills, tablets, etc. Also the test tube baby option would lead to checking population growth by restricting no of children. 
• Educational steps would lead to better knowledge about the benefits of small families. Thus women would be inclined to have less children and thus checking population growth. 

Conclusion 
Hence there is a saying that if “You educate a man, you educate only a man, but if you educate a woman, you educate a whole generation”. This is the kind of effect women have and hence population control can be achieved by the empowerment of women in various spheres. This would have multiplier effect on other institutions of the society and economy and lead to sustainable development.

Topics covered - Empowerment of general Public, Women Empowerment, Old age self reliance