Empowering Women in India: The Role of Government Initiatives, Legal Reforms, and Social Norms

Abstract

This thesis examines women's empowerment in India by exploring the impact of a government health initiative and legal reforms for equal property rights. It highlights how these measures strengthen women's autonomy within India's intricate socio-cultural, economic, and legal framework, while also addressing the persistent challenges posed by deep-seated social norms. The first essay assesses the impact of the Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (SABLA), launched in 2010, on maternal and child health outcomes. Using a Regression Discontinuity Design and data from the National Family Health Surveys (NFHS-4 and NFHS-5), the study reveals that SABLA eligibility significantly enhances maternal health. This is demonstrated by improved BMI, increased antenatal care utilisation, and better birth weights and height-for-age outcomes in children, highlighting the initiative's intergenerational benefits. The second essay examines the impact of state-level amendments to the Hindu Succession Act (HSA) of 1956 on women's empowerment using data from the India Human Development Survey (IHDS-I). By employing Item Response Theory (IRT) models to measure various dimensions of empowerment, the study reveals that HSA amendments significantly enhanced empowerment, particularly for women who were 10 years old or younger at the time of the reforms. This essay also delves into the mechanisms driving these changes. The third essay explores the connection between land ownership and women's empowerment in Gurgaon's Haryana district, utilizing an instrumental variable approach to address endogeneity. The findings show that female land ownership leads to greater decision-making power, mobility, progressive views, and higher levels of education and employment. Despite the 2005 HSA amendment granting equal property rights, cultural and societal barriers continue to limit female land ownership, pointing to the need for strategies beyond legal reforms to effectively address these deep-rooted challenges.

Date of Award	11 Sept 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The University of Manchester
Supervisor	Abhishek Chakravarty (Co Supervisor) & Katsushi Imai (Main Supervisor)