Contribution of Education in Women Empowerment: An Innovative Neutrosophic Approach on MCDM Method

Women’s empowerment is a cornerstone of social and economic development, yet it continues to be constrained by persistent challenges such as poverty, gender discrimination, child marriage, social norms, and financial deprivation. Education is widely recognized as a critical driver of empowerment, but ensuring equitable access and addressing systemic barriers remain ongoing concerns. This study examines the impact of education on women’s empowerment through a decision-making perspective. To address the uncertainty inherent in complex social data, interval-valued neutrosophic sets (IVNSs) and interval-valued neutrosophic numbers (IVNNs) are considered. The Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) technique is applied to identify and analyze the causal relationships among key barriers to women’s empowerment. A comparative study is further conducted to assess the feasibility of the proposed approach, and sensitivity analyses are performed to validate the stability and reliability of the results. The findings provide valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders in formulating effective strategies to enhance women’s empowerment through education.