The Concept of Empowerment!
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When exactly do we say someone is empowered?
Is it the moment they earn their first paycheck? Or when they start their own business? Or when they speak up confidently in a room full of doubters?
What is the defining line? The clear signal that this person is truly empowered. We throw the word “empowerment” around so much, especially when talking about women but do we really understand it? Or are we settling for surface-level wins that don’t capture the full picture?
To me, empowerment isn’t just about external markers: money, status, or titles. It’s about AGENCY; the power to make choices, the freedom to control your own narrative, and the confidence to act on your own terms.
There for me, lies the true meaning of empowerment!
How do you define it in your own term?
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LIPEDE Omolola Mary,Nigeria,GPSPD !!! Empowerment, to me, is fostering self-determination. This means enabling individuals to recognize their own strengths and equipping them with resources, confidence, and freedom so they can make meaningful choices. The goal is cultivating intrinsic belief and autonomy, allowing authentic life-shaping, not just attaining external markers of success.
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LOMPO Aguima Aime Bernard,Burkina Faso,SPORD Great! Thank you for sharing your insight on the concept of "empowerment".
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LIPEDE Omolola Mary,Nigeria,GPSPD In my view, empowerment is best understood as the sustained ability to make informed decisions and act on them, even in the face of systemic barriers. It’s not tied to a single milestone like earning a paycheck or launching a business. Although those can be important parts of the journey. True empowerment happens when a person has both the internal confidence and the external support to consistently shape their life according to their values, goals, and needs.
So, to me, empowerment looks like:
- A young woman who says no to societal pressures and yes to her own dreams.
- A community member who challenges injustice, not because it’s easy, but because they know they should and can.
- Someone who redefines success on their own terms, not just by achieving something, but by claiming ownership of their path.
- Empowerment is not a finish line, it’s a process of becoming. It’s also collective, not just individual. We’re most empowered when we create environments where others can thrive too.
Thank you for sparking this important conversation.
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LIPEDE Omolola Mary,Nigeria,GPSPD I've been very interested in this subject for the past few years. I think empowerment is a broad and deep concept. To answer your concern, you'd have to know what kind of empowerment you're talking about. If we refer to the work of Nobel Prize Dufflo (2012; 2019) in this field, we understand that empowerment is a multidimensional concept that cannot be analyzed solely from the angle of access to a salary... While the social, economic and political dimensions are often mentioned, I think we need to take into account the cultural environment in which we evolve. For example, can women's empowerment be understood in the same way in Cameroon as in France? Are the contextual and cultural realities the same?
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Empowerment to me is the ability for individuals, groups, or communities to gain control over their lives, make informed decisions, and access the resources and opportunities needed to achieve their full potential. In other words, the freedom to own their lives, choices and decisions.
