• Sonam
• Dr. Sushma Aggarwal

In India, there exist stark gender inequalities in economic and social indicators such as health, education and political opportunities. Women lag behind men in almost all respects causing a large and worrying gap in all indicators of development. This has caused policymakers to think about ways to close it. In recent years, sports is seen as a tool to bridge the gender gap. Greater involvement of girls and women in sports not only improves their physical and mental health but also helps to break traditional stereotypes and empower them in various ways. Nobel laureate Amartya Sen talks about development by enhancing capabilities. He has long argued that women’s agency and voice should be increased to deal with gender inequalities. The focus should be on women’s education, ownership rights and employment opportunities outside home. Sports provides a platform for girls to showcase their talent and earn a life of independence and dignity. The present paper highlights the role of sports in gender mainstreaming and empowerment of girls and women. We also examine the gender inequalities that exist to equal participation of girls in sports as well as obstacles to sports serving as a vehicle for women empowerment. We provide important policy suggestion to remove these obstacles

Gender gap, women empowerment, sports

"SPORTS - A GATEWAY TO WOMEN EMPOWERMENT", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 4, page no.555-560, April-2019, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1904H91.pdf

"SPORTS - A GATEWAY TO WOMEN EMPOWERMENT", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 4, page no. pp555-560, April-2019, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1904H91.pdf