South Asian Journal of Social Studies and Economics

Women’s empowerment is shaped not only by access to economic opportunities but also by women’s ability to make decisions, exercise financial autonomy, participate in social life and use available resources effectively. Skill development programmes are expected to strengthen these dimensions by improving employability, livelihood opportunities and individual capabilities. However, participation in training does not necessarily translate into empowerment, particularly in rural settings where women may continue to face socio-economic constraints, limited market access and inadequate post-training support. Against this background, the present study examines the relationship between skill development and multidimensional women’s empowerment in Muzaffarpur district of Bihar, with particular attention to socio-economic outcomes, barriers to participation and programme-related support mechanisms. The study follows a case study approach supported by a quasi-experimental research design. Women who received skill training were considered the treatment group, while untrained women from comparable village clusters formed the comparison group. Relevant blocks and training centres were selected purposively in accordance with the objectives of the study. Primary data were collected through structured surveys, supplemented by in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Women’s empowerment was assessed through a Composite Women Empowerment Index (WEI) covering multiple dimensions of empowerment. Descriptive and inferential statistical techniques were applied to examine group differences and identify the factors associated with empowerment. The findings indicate that skill development is associated with improvements in several dimensions of women’s empowerment, although the benefits are not uniform across participants. The multivariate results further show that education, follow-up and placement support, SHG/NGO support and trainers’ quality have significant positive associations with women’s empowerment. Age shows a significant negative association, indicating relatively higher empowerment outcomes among younger participants. In contrast, household income after training, funding and infrastructure adequacy, and training satisfaction do not show statistically significant independent associations with empowerment. These findings suggest that training alone may not be sufficient; the environment that enables women to apply acquired skills is equally important. The study therefore suggests moving beyond a training-completion approach towards an outcome-oriented skill development framework. Stronger post-training follow-up, placement and livelihood support, SHG/NGO linkages, access to credit and markets, and continued attention to trainer quality can help convert skill acquisition into more sustainable empowerment. Programmes should also respond to the practical and socio-economic barriers faced by rural women so that skill development becomes a pathway not only to employment, but also to greater agency and participation in economic and social life.