CHAPTER 14

SELF EMPOWERMENT

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After reading this unit, the student will be able to

• Explain concept of self-empowerment
• Describe dimensions of self-empowerment
• Explain the importance of women’s empowerment
• Discuss the role of nurse in empowering others

CHAPTER OUTLINE

• Dimensions of self-empowerment
• Steps of self-empowerment development
• Importance of self- empowerment
• Dimensions of self empowerment.
• Importance of women’s empowerment in society
• Professional etiquette and personal grooming
• Role of nurse in empowering others

DEFINITION

SELF EMPOWERMENT

Empowerment is the process of exercising one’s own power to facilitate the participation of others in decision making and taking action so they are easy to exercise power.

—Leavitt, Mason and Whelan, 2012

IMPORTANCE OF SELF-EMPOWERMENT

Better health

Satisfying and strong relationships

Career success

DIMENSIONS OF SELF-EMPOWERMENT

STEPS OF SELF-EMPOWERMENT DEVELOPMENT

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

Elements of Women Empowerment

• Equal opportunity to women for participation in decision-making process.
• Elimination of all kinds of discriminations (economic and non economic) based on sex such as wages, employment, share in property, status in family and society.
• Independent recognition of women for developing and utilizing their full latent talent.

Objectives of Women Empowerment

• To increase awareness among women formtheir all-round development
• To create an appropriate environment for women
• To initiate efforts to organize the women for fighting against the problems and difficulties related to them.
• To create awareness among women
• To develop the skills for self decision-making capabilities

Empowerment of Women in India

Indian constitution in its fundamental rights has provisions for equality, social justice, and protection of women but, these goals are yet to be realized.

Still women continue to be discriminated, exploited, and exposed to inequalities at various levels.

Benefits of Empowerment of Women in India

• Education
• Poverty
• Health and safety
• Professional inequality
• Morality and inequality

Measures for Ensuring Womens Access and

Control Over Resources

• Changes in women’s mobility and social interaction.
• Changes in women’s labor patterns.
• Women’s access to and control over resources.
• Involvement of womens in decision making process.
• Providing education.
• Self-employment and Self-help group.

PROFESSIONAL ETIQUETTE AND

PERSONAL GROOMING

Etiquette is behaving yourself a little better than is absolutely essential. —Will Cuppy

ABC of Etiquettes

Simple Etiquettes and Personal Grooming

Tips

• Introduce yourself
• Have a confident handshake
• Keep conversations on track
• Dress properly
• Grooming and personal hygiene
• Body language

ROLE OF NURSE IN EMPOWERING

OTHERS

• As a facilitator and partner:

For example, the school nurse may respond to teenagers’ requests to run a workshop on coping with the problem of peer pressure to experiment with drugs, or a practice nurse may set up a self-help group to help individuals deal with stress.

• As a counsellor:

Person-centered counseling places high value on the individual’s experiences and the importance of the individual’s subjective perceptions of reality. It challenges each person to accept responsibility for his/her own life, and to trust the inner resources available to all those who are prepared to develop

self-awareness and self-acceptance.

• As a health care provider :

• Valuing individuals and their health beliefs.
• Providing health information.
• Constantly evaluating and reviewing the accuracy of available health information.
• Raising individuals’ awareness of the social, economic, and environmental determinants of health.
• Informing individuals of their rights, and how to access other services.
• Involving individuals in decision-making whenever possible.