CONTENTS: Part I: Constitutional, Legal and Institutional Arrangements for Women Empowerment in India, 1. Women in India through the Ages, 1.1 Women and Family, 1.2 Women in Indian History, 1.3 Need for Women Empowerment, 2. Constitutional and Legal Safeguards for Women, 2.1 Constitutional Provisions for Women, 2.2 Legislations for Protection and Advancement of Women, 2.3 Laws Related to Dowry, Marriage and Divorce, 2.4 Laws Related to Right to Property, 2.5 Laws Related to Protection of and Crimes Against Women, 2.6 Legal Aid Services, 2.7 Ratification of Various International Conventions and Human Rights Instruments, 2.8 Implementation of Women-related Legislations: A Critique, 3. Institutional Framework for Women Welfare and Development [Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD)] 3.1 History of MWCD, 3.2 Vision and Mission, 3.3 Mandate, 3.4 Policy Initiatives, 3.5 Organization, 3.6 Subjects Allocated, 3.7 Autonomous Organisations under MWCD, 3.8 Programmes/Schemes of the MWCD, Part II: Politico-legal Empowerment of Women, 4. Reservation of Seats for Women in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, 4.1 Seventy-third and Seventy-fourth Constitutional Amendments and the Reservation of Seats for Women in Rural and Urban Local Bodies, 4.2 Enactment of Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023 and Reservation of Seats for Women in Lok Sabha (Lower House of Indian Parliament) and State Assemblies, 5. Reservation of Seats for Women in Rural and Urban Local Bodies, 5.1 Constitutional Provisions Regarding Local Bodies, 5.2 Decentralisation Initiative, 1992 and Reservation of Seats for Women, 5.3 Constitution (Seventy-third Amendment) Act, 1992, 5.4 Constitution (Seventy-fourth Amendment) Act, 1992, 5.5 Amendment to Article 243T of the Constitution to Provide for 50 percent Reservation for Women in Urban Local Bodies, 5.6 New Status of Municipalities: An Assessment, 5.7 Women in Local Bodies: An Appraisal, 6. Women in Decision-making, 6.1 Need for Gender Balancing in Decisionmaking, 6.2 Gender Mainstreaming in Legislature, Judiciary and Police, 6.3 Representation of Women in Elected Bodies, 6.4 Internet and Political Participation of Women, Part III: Economic Empowerment of Women, 7. Women Empowerment through Entrepreneurship, 7.1 Women and Development, 7.2 What is Entrepreneurship?, 7.3 Who is an Entrepreneur?, 7.4 Role and Importance of Entrepreneurs, 7.5 Obstacles to Entrepreneurship in India, 7.6 Women Entrepreneurship, 7.7 Mahila E-haat, 8. Role of Women in Agriculture and Environmental Protection, 8.1 Role of Women in Agriculture, 8.2 Women and Environmental Protection, 9. Gender Budgeting in India, 9.1 Gender Budgeting, 9.2 Gender Budgeting in India, 10. Lenient Provisions for Women in Tax Laws, 10.1 Income Tax, 10.2 Relatively Lower Rates of Stamp Duty and Registration Fees for Women, 10.3 Low Rates of GST on Certain Items Purchased by Women, Part IV: Social Empowerment of Women, 11. Trends in Male-Female Ratio (Sex Ratio) of Population in India, 11.1 Overall Sex Ratio, 11.2 Child Sex Ratio (0-6 years), 12. Disadvantaged and Vulnerable Groups of Women, 12.1 Women Impacted by Internal Displacement, Disasters and Migration, 12.2 Women with Health Problems, 12.3 Women in Border Trade Areas, 12.4 Women Left Behind due to Suicide by Farmer Husbands, 12.5 Trafficked Women, 12.6 Women Affected by Armed Conflicts, 12.7 Other Vulnerable Groups of Women, 13. Women Education, Training and Skill Development, 13.1 Female Literacy Rate, 13.2 Elementary Education for All, 13.3 Sexual Harassment, Violence and Women Education, 13.4 Education for Women and Girls, 13.5 Education for All (erstwhile Adult Education), 13.6 New India Literacy Programme (NILP), 14. Protection of the Girl Child, 14.1 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), 14.2 Right to Life of the Girl Child, 14.3 Childhood Malnutrition, 14.4 Education and Schooling, 14.5 Sexual Abuse and Trafficking, 14.6 Measures to Protect the Girl Child, 14.7 National Plan of Action Exclusively for the Girl Child, 14.8 Campaign for the Girl Child’s Right to Life, 14.9 Health and Nutrition, 15. Women and Media, 15.1 Role of Media in Women Portrayal, 15.2 Sex in Advertising, Bibliography, Index.