Women’s empowerment issue: The need for mental health care for well-being

Pages: 2084-2087
Dinesh Deman (Psychiatric Social Worker (Retd.), Psychiatric Centre SMS Medical College, Jaipur, Rajasthan)
Sanjeewani Hettiarachchi (Psychiatric Social Worker, National Institute of Mental Health, Sri-Lanka, South Asia)

Women’s empowerment issue has been existing since a long time in our present social system. The major issues of dowry problem, domestic violation, restriction of widow remarriage and child marriage etc have been persisting in Hindu society. The empowerment of women could be emerged in the society but it is only possible by the mental health of the women and ultimately become well being. For the mental health care of the women is concern, the joint family system was playing significant role by the head of the family but the concept of joint family system has been slowly collapsed in the 21st century throughout the under develop countries. But in Sri-Lanka there is the concept of extended family systems which is slowly converted into nuclear family system in present time. Now, all the members of a family are living separately and having their own life-style, which in not controlled by the head of the unit, as it used to be in earlier times, but sometime women do not accept these changes in the family, which results in mental health problems due to inter personal conflict with the family members. Without mental health, it is difficult rather impossible for them to become empowered not only, in the Indian society even society of Sri-Lankan. The mental health of women will not suffer, if there is love and affection in the family. The criteria of support and affection in the family environment depends on the interpersonal relationships within the family, which add to the empowerment of women, and creates an environment in the society in which one has the power to make decisions and choices either individually or collectively for social transformation. Empowerment of women includes political, social, economic and cultural aspects but it is only possible on the basis of mental health care.