The most meaningful and longest social movement still continuing in the present day is the emancipation of women. Though the main purpose for women empowerment is to enhance the quality of life for women, but it is also have deep ramifications in social, economic and political scenario. In a country like India we see that women have been relegated to a secondary position. The vested interest of the elite class has played an important part in pushing them to oblivion. Swami Vivekananda has been very vocal about the uplift of women clan all through his life. He considered Sita to be the ultimate sign of perfection, which stood as a testimony to the chastity of Indian Women. He said, "She will always be this glorious Sita, purer than purity itself, all patience and all sufferings. She who suffered that life of suffering without a murmur, she the ever chaste and ever pure wife, she the ideal of the people, the ideal of gods, the great Sita, our national God she must always remain. ...All our mythology may vanish, even our Vedas may depart, and our Sanskrit language may vanish for ever, but so long as there will be five Hindus living here, even if only seeking the most vulgar patois, there will be the story of Sita present."
Swami Vivekananda had held Indian women in high esteem and has appreciated their typical Indian features like spirit of service, compassion, affection, contentment and reverence. Swamiji travelled most part of Europe, where he witnessed women driving cars, going to schools, drudging in offices and involved in professional commitments, but according to him, the chastity and feminine modesty of Indian women soothes the eye. He felt that modernization of women society is only possible by following the footprints of Sita.
Swami Vivekananda felt that no nation can grow without taking care of the interest of women. He said, "All nations have attained greatness by paying proper respect to women. That country and that nation which does not respect women have never become great, nor will ever be in future."
He felt that Indian women must be given the liberty to live an independent life. They must have the right to take decisions and, when faced with problems, should learn to solve it themselves. The only interference that can be made is while providing proper education and making them aware of the society. He felt education of women is the only tool to move forward, and a medium which could help to eradicate all grave problems and help to make them the ideal women in the world. There may be problems in between, but none can be so serious that can not be solved by the magic world "education". He felt that Indian women had a good understanding about chastity, because it is their heritage. So it was important to intensify that ideal within them and then all aspect would fall in place. He said women, apart from knowledge about science and art, should be given training about religion, hygiene, and cooking, sewing and other simple works of life.
Swami Vivekananda proposed to set up a women`s math, where religious literature, scriptures, grammar, Sanskrit and even some amount of English would be taught. He though this step was important in order to uplift the inner virtues of women. Women, according to Vivekananda were living embodiment of Divine Mother, and this Math would help to reach out to various people and spread female education. As long as the students would remain associated with the Math they must observe Brahmacharya as the basic ideal of this Math.
