Women empowerment: the ideas of Swami Vivekananda in Relevance to Western Philosophers and Contemporary Policy

Women Empowerment is still a burning issue in India. A large number of women are still living in miserable condition due to their illiteracy. Dowry system, Rape and molestation, Killings of Girl-child, Wage discrimination – these age old dogmas still very much present in Indian society. Swamiji recognizes the way to come out of this situation is empowering women through education. So he says, “Educate your women first and leave them to themselves; then they will tell you what reforms are necessary”. From this perspective the study attempts to highlight the philosophical ideas of Swami Vivekananda on women empowerment and aims to perceive its relevance to some western philosopher as well as to present National Policy for Women Empowerment of India (2001). From this angle of vision the objectives of this study have been stated. The method of the study is historical research following a qualitative approach. There have been taken so many different types of aspects through which the views on women empowerment have been established. The study has been covered by a vast documentary analysis and it has been based on the philosophical thoughts & ideas of Swamiji, views of some western philosophers and present Indian policy on women empowerment. The Works of Swami Vivekananda have been taken as Primary Source of data and the Works of several authors on Swamiji sets up the Secondary Source of data. In course of Comparison of the data from different sources it was seen that ideas of Swamiji are very much relevant to that of western philosophers & present Indian policy.