AUTONOMY AND AGENCY: WOMEN'S DECISION-MAKING POWER IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY

Women’s autonomy and agency are central to the discourse on gender equality and empowerment in contemporary society. Autonomy refers to the ability of women to make independent decisions regarding their lives, while agency reflects their capacity to act upon those decisions within existing social structures. Despite constitutional guarantees, legal reforms, and global commitments to gender equality, women’s decision-making power remains constrained by patriarchal norms, economic dependency, and institutional barriers. This paper critically examines women’s autonomy and agency as multidimensional constructs encompassing social, economic, educational, and political domains. Drawing on feminist theories, the capability approach, and development perspectives, the study analyses key factors influencing women’s decision-making power and identifies pathways for strengthening autonomy. The paper argues that enhancing women’s agency requires not only individual empowerment but also structural transformation of social institutions, cultural norms, and governance systems to ensure sustainable gender justice.