SHARIFF, Abusaleh2019-09-252019-09-252011-09-102011-05-05http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12424/181021Contour of gender discrimination and empowerment are not well understood in the context of India. The UN’s human development reports identified concepts and variables for computing a ‘gender empowerment measure (GEM)’; but a closer look suggests that they lack in accurately capturing socially and culturally sensitive woman empowering factors that reflect accurate situation for masses. GEM indices are in fact not computed for India due to want of relevant data. This paper articulates gender empowerment within the Indian socio-economic and cultural context and identifies six dimensions and measured using multiple empirical data drawn from three different nationally representative sample surveys for the reference year 2004-5; and resourceful government source. A composite ‘Gender Empowerment Index (GEI)’ is computed for major Indian states, economic and socio-religious groups. The dimensions and variables are easy to measure and reflect gender empowerment efficiently. Such indices can be estimated even for levels lower than the states, such as at districts. Similar data can be generated for computing national level gender empowerment facilitating international comparison as well.engWith permission of the license/copyright holderGender, Women’s Empowerment, India, State level estimates, Gender policy frameworkPolitical ethicsCommunity ethicsEthics of political systemsGovernance and ethicsDevelopment ethicsSocial ethicsSexual orientation/genderJournal volume