Health and its relationship with women empowerment: Evidences from National Family Health Surveys

Contribution of women to a country's growth and development has always been centric to economic studies. In India the socio-economic status of women is gradually improving. However, the participation of women in workforce is much lower than that of many developed and developing Asian countries. The issue has always been centric to the studies of women socio-economic status and women empowerment. This paper aims to study the trends in women empowerment and its relationship with her health. Health is a key driver of an individual's productivity. Better health enhances productivity, longevity, happiness and feeling of fulfillment. Empowerment as measured by financial inclusion and autonomy, improved access to education, health care system, increased household status certainly adds up to more empowerment and enhanced health status of women and her children thereby contributing to current and future growth and development of the Nation.