Women’s Studies

The Realities of Women's Lives

The Center for Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality (CWEGE) approaches the field of Women’s Studies research from a very pragmatic perspective. Our research is undertaken with the understanding that the ultimate goal is to achieve a state of balance between the genders within society. One of our guiding beliefs is that "Like the two wings of a bird, women and men are of equal value. For without the two in perfect balance, humanity cannot progress” - Amma. To expand upon this belief, we also include the environment in our approach to women’s studies, as it is fundamental to attaining a state of sustainable balance - not only between genders, but between society and the Earth.

In order to facilitate the realization of this goal it has become apparent over the past decade to our field team and our researchers that understanding women’s lives within the context of their families, their communities, and the cultures that they live in. So while CWEGE is rooted in a very traditionally academic view of the field of Women’s Studies, the academic knowledge is always tempered with women’s realities. For example, we deeply believe that women should have equal rights to men, but want to respect the cultural norms of women everywhere - even when those norms may look contrary to equality. Ultimately, our approach to the field of Women’s Studies focuses on women’s ability to engage with whatever it is that she chooses for herself in the most informed and practical way possible, taking into account her environment and the state of the world at large.