This study presents the EMERGE Framework to Measure Empowerment, a framework to strengthen empowerment measures for global health and development.
Authors
Anita Raj, Newcomb Institute, Tulane University, 43 Newcomb Place, Suite 301, New Orleans, LA, USA; Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, 1440 Canal Street, Suite 2460 #8329, New Orleans, LA, USA; Center on Gender Equity and Health, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0507, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Arnab Dey, Center on Gender Equity and Health, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0507, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Namratha Rao, Newcomb Institute, Tulane University, 43 Newcomb Place, Suite 301, New Orleans, LA, USA.
Jennifer Yore, Center on Gender Equity and Health, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0507, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Lotus McDougal, Center on Gender Equity and Health, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0507, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Nandita Bhan, Professor, Jindal School of Public Health and Human Development, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana, India.
Jay G. Silverman, Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, 1440 Canal Street, Suite 2460 #8329, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA.
Katherine Hay, Center on Gender Equity and Health, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0507, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Edwin E. Thomas, Newcomb Institute, Tulane University, 43 Newcomb Place, Suite 301, New Orleans, LA, USA.
Jean Christophe Fotso, EVIHDAF, Nvlle Rte Bastos, BP 35328, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Rebecka Lundgren, Center on Gender Equity and Health, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0507, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Summary
Women’s empowerment is a UN Sustainable Development Goal and a focus of global health and development but survey measures and data on gender empowerment remain weak. Existing indicators are often disconnected from theory; stronger operationalization is needed.
Objective
We present the EMERGE Framework to Measure Empowerment, a framework to strengthen empowerment measures for global health and development.
Method
We initiated development of this framework in 2016 as part of EMERGE – an initiative designed to build the science of survey research and availability of high-quality survey measures and data on gender empowerment. The framework is guided by existing theories of empowerment, evidence, and expert input. We apply this framework to understand women’s empowerment in family planning (FP) via review of state of the field measures.
Results
Our framework offers concrete measurable constructs to assess critical consciousness and choice, agency and backlash, and goal achievement as the empowerment process, recognizing its operation at multiple levels-from the individual to the collective. Internal attributes, social norms, and external contexts and resources create facilitators or barriers to the empowerment process.
Review of best evidence FP measures assessing empowerment constructs, social norms, and key influencers (e.g., partners and providers) show a strong landscape of measures, including those with women, partners, and providers, but they are limited in assessing translation of choice to agency to achievement of women’s self-determined fertility or contraceptive goals, instead relying on assumption of contraceptive use as the goal. We see no measures on collective empowerment toward women’s reproductive choice and rights.
Conclusion
The EMERGE Framework can guide development and analysis of survey measures on empowerment and is needed as the current state of the field shows limited coverage of empowerment constructs even in areas which have received more study, such as family planning.
Published in: Social Science & Medicine
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