The role of community-level men's and women's inequitable gender norms on women's empowerment in India: A multilevel analysis using India's National Family Health Survey-5.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Lower empowerment of women is a critical social issue with adverse public health implications. In India, deeply ingrained gender norms shape a patriarchal structure that creates systemic disadvantages for women relative to men. These gender norms-socially constructed expectations about the roles, behaviors, and attributes of men and women-perpetuate inequality and limit women's opportunities.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to examine the association between community-level men's and women's gender norms on women's empowerment in India. Women's empowerment was defined using four measures: freedom of movement, decision-making power, economic empowerment, and health empowerment.

Methods

Using a nationally representative demographic health survey data fro

SUBMITTER: Gopalakrishnan L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11633985 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature