CONTENTS Contributors ix Introduction Overview xi PART-I: WOMEN AT WORK Deprivation of Rural Agrarian Women in the Background 3 Introductory Overview of their Socto-Economic and Socfo-Cultural Status -Hillol Kumar Chakrabarti Poverty Alleviation and Women Empowerment: 27 Synergistic Endeavours of Microfinance in North Bengal -Samirendra Nath Dhar Status and Suffering of Women in India: An Empirical 45 Study with Respect to Access to Drinking Water in Rural Areas -Amlan Majumder The Stone Crushing Women of Balasan River Bed 56 -Samar Kumar Biswas & Somenatli Bhattacharjee Decent Work and Women's Empowerment in Agriculture 73 -Anil Bhuimali Micro Enterprises and Income Generating Activities of 89 Women: A viable Alternative for Eradicating Poverty -Martin Patrick & S. Muraleedhar PART-II: WOMEN AND EDUCATION Advancement of Females as the Teachers and the 105 Taught: The case of Andhra Pradesh -D. Pulla Rao Women in she Face of Globalisaiio 113 S. Edcuation and Human Rights of Women with Special Reference to South Asian Nations -M. Siipputhai 9. Globalisation and Higher Education of Women in India -Bhaskar Chaudhuri 10. Development of Primary Education in Andhra Pradesh: A Gender Perspective -D. Pulla Rao PART-HI: WOMEN'S RIGHTS 11.The United Nations and Women's Rights: An Overview 157 of Issues and Achievements -Yeshi Choeden 12. Women's Rights: Some Issues 178 -B. Sankaran and Pretna Sankaran 13. Poverty and Women's Rights Violation with Special 192 Reference to Tamil Nadu -J. Cyril Kanmony 14.Women's Rights in Managing Environment 206 -R. Meenakshi PART-IV: HUMAN RIGHTS OF WOMEN 15. Human Rights of Women 223 -5. N. Yogish 16. Poverty and Human Rights of Women in India 241 -D. Solomon Raj & R. Immannel 17. Poverty and Women in India 246 -Achala Srivastava 18. Women and Poverty: Mukipronged Human Rights ' 263 Violation in India -Pitshpa P. 19. Discrimination Against Women in India and Existence 285 of Human Rights Violations -K. Samuvel 20.Impact of Poverty on Violation of Women's Human Rights 300 -S. Sri Krishna & S. Anil Kumar Gender Discrimination: Assessment of Attitude Towards Naidu Widows at Walajapet Taluk -K. Malathi 22Gender Justice: Myth or Reality -Sukutnar Ray 23. Women Right: A Theoretical Explanation -Samar Kumar Biswas Index