Vesna Pericevic Jacob, Holistic Fitness Expert & Author
Empowered Women should have the right to decision making, right from what they wear, where and how they live, who with. There are aspects of life over which even a spouse should not have control. It from that true Independence (not only financial) would be meaningful. Thirdly, Access to Information: the decision-making should be informed, enlightened, and taken in best interests of the self, and society in general. It is a combination of these factors that will put women in control of their lives, and help them become truly empowered in my opinion.
Aparna Maroo Jain, Co-founder, My Second Act
An empowered woman must have the below:
1. A strong support system in the form of family, friends, colleagues or community that have her back. With a sense of security comes the belief that she can make her choices and follow through with them. The support system helps.
2. Determination and conviction that she will see her choices through, and enjoy the journey and the outcome.
3. Think about having a Plan B. That provides a great faith that she will figure out whatever cards.
Saraswathi Laxman, Communication Professional
To be able to speak for herself.
To be able to choose for herself.
To be able to put herself before others and not have to compromise.
Yoshita Swarup Sharma, Leadership Coach, Facilitator and Co-founder ReadyToAscend
Three things that an empowered woman should have a. Self-awareness of her strengths and limiting beliefs:
a. Our research shows that women lack awareness of their value contribution and constantly undermine themselves due to conditioned beliefs. This is true of even the most modern and successful women. Self-Awareness is the key to kickstart transformation towards empowerment. She can then value herself and keep learning.
b. Right skills and education are important to help her feel capable and confident, ready from within. She can thus stop holding back and raise her hand towards new opportunities with self-belief.
c. Her environment must provide her a fertile space for to thrive. If she feels supported rather than scared or discriminated, she can pursue her purpose, joyfully.
Annu Kalra, Author, Artist & Guide
Love, Compassion and Courage. Love, because everyone should have love, because that is the basis of life itself. Women are naturally intuitive and sensitive; when they are empowered they have the ability to act upon their understanding. However, the impetus to act will come only from compassion. Therefore if we are to create a better world for all, it is not enough for women to be empowered, they must also have empathy and compassion for others so that they can support, inspire and empower them too. In order to do so, they would need Courage, loads and loads of it!
Shalu Bhuchar, Certified Emotional Intelligence and Life coach, OD Practitioner and Consultant
Confidence in yourself – You were born whole and perfect. Don’t let anyone – you included – ever tell you otherwise. Not beauty magazines. Not your friends. Not the girl in the mirror who looks back at you and yearns to be perfect like someone else. You are perfect. Period.
Faith in yourself – Know you have the power within. To deal with anything. Or anyone. Anytime. For ever.
Love for yourself-No one can and should be more important than you. No, not the selfish, watch-out-for-yourself, others-be-damned kind. The kind that knows that only when you love you, shall the world know the real you. That only when you are taking care of you, will you be truly able to take care of others too.
Vandana Saxena Poria, Entrepreneur and Talent Ecosystem Expert
1) Support from men AND women all around her - with this I mean the support to be allowed to fail and try again and again
2) Strong values and the confidence to stand by them, whatever the situation
3) a network of others to discuss and lean on