Media Literacy and Women Empowerment: An Evidence from India

Abstract

In the present times the role of media and its impact on holistic development of the society is a topic of scholastic and as well as political discussions across the globe. The power of media to empower the underprivileged, especially the women is a topic that attracts lot of public discourse. Previous studies have proved that for any society to develop and prosper, its women are to be developed first and development is the outcome of empowerment. The ability to develop self-control, independence, and confidence in the face of a patriarchal culture is women empowerment and studies claim that having access to information is one of the major factors of empowerment. And the ability to access, understand, evaluate, and disseminate messages in a variety of forms is referred to as media literacy. This study is aimed at understanding the relationship between media literacy and women empowerment in the context of India. The study highlights the scope and challenges of Indian media and its treatment towards women related issues in India. Further, an attempt has been made to identify the disconnect between the various facets of Indian society which has widened due to the media's distorting of reality with special reference to women.