Both "women's agency" as well as "women's well-being", as Sen clearly pointed out, must coexist in order for any social or economic development to proceed. Sen emphasized women's agency, however, because it provides a proactive venue through which women can ameliorate their living standards and overall well-being.
For example, if you increase women's participation in the labor force you also increase women's perceived value in the household and, in turn, their status in the general community. Furthermore, as others have already pointed out, "women's education and literacy tend to reduce mortality rates of children." (Sen 188). Women undoubtedly, if given political, social and economic opportunities, will contribute to development.
My question is, how do you implement or rather, initiate these agencies(namely, women's education and participation in the work force) within a community that is so gender biased? How do you override deep-seated gender stereotypes? Does it require outside influences (like in the Grameen Bank and microcredit example)?
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