SOCIAL NORMS, GENDER ATTITUDES, AND WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT: COMPARATIVE EVIDENCE FROM MAHARASHTRA AND INDIA

Abstract

Social norms influence the behaviors of individuals, interactions between people, and developmental outcomes in society. They shape and modify attitudes towards education, work, social equality, decision-making, and social participation, impacting the social development process as a whole. In this study, the social norms comparison between Maharashtra and India is done based on the following indicators: Literacy, employment, empowerment, equality, and household decision-making. Secondary data was gathered from reliable sources of national data like NFHS, Periodic Labor Force Survey (PLFS), Census reports, government publications, etc. The comparative descriptive research design was used to compare region to region and identify patterns related to social transformation. Descriptive analysis, comparative assessment, trend evaluation, and correlation analysis were used as statistical tools for interpreting the indicators that were selected. The results indicate that the performance of Maharashtra is comparatively stronger on most of the social indicators, including female literacy, involvement in decision-making within the family, social inclusion, and outcomes of empowerment. The findings also show that there is a positive correlation between education and working life, suggesting that education plays a significant role in fostering economic engagement and social mobility. While there are important gains in several indicators, the participation in work is still relatively low compared to levels of educational attainment, indicating structural and social barriers to economic inclusion. The study highlights the interlinkages between education, participation, equality, and empowerment in impacting social development. The findings offer important policy and development practitioners lessons on priority areas for action and potential areas of improvement on inclusive growth.