Women Empowerment and Divorce rate - Complete Analysis

I have given two of my approaches to this GD. Both are drastically different and given a choice I personally would go with Approach 2. But note that the approach you should take is what fits your thought process and where you think you will a natural.

Approach 1 : Traditional

Start: In the last decade, women have been empowered legally - the active judiciary and pro-women laws, socially - equal property rights, economically - increased
women workforce and even politically. the last decade also has seen an increase in divorce rates in the country. While it looks like an obvious side effect
of a great social change, we should look deeper and see if it is a bad effect at all

Middle overs:

1. The increased rate could just be that the actual fractures in relationship are coming in open rather being hidden as before. Earlier the split may not have been official, but may have still existed. So just looking at the numbers may fool us and we should be careful before drawing conclusions
2. There may have been cases where splits have occured because of the man not able to sink in the idea of the woman being stronger economically. But in this transition phase, as society starts accepting women in a broader and equal role, the husbands will accept too. This may actually even lead to healthier relationships
3. Society has also slowly started accepting divorce as a possibility and has reduced the tabboo. This also has made many women come out of stifling
   relationships. If this has increased divorce rate, this may actually be a positive development. I have though that two people should work out relationship rather than take the easier route of walking out.
4. Many breaks also have been because of in-laws not being able to handle the empowered daughter-in-law and unable to handle the changed social interactions. Since it has been less than a generation, they are bound to happen, but the society has been fast adapting.
   

Approach 2: Classic
If I was in great form on the day of the GD and If I was late to get in (being a lazy guy, I usually dont start a GD anyway) and a couple of strong men and women had stolen the limelights with all the obvious points, the following would have been my line of discussion.

1. I believe that though this is termed as a man's society, women always had a stronger say in a family. They have almost always decided what happens at home. The new talk about empowerment is only limited to visible things like jobs
2. Note that divorce has always been an urban phenomenon and still is. The increase rate could just be because of the increased urban migration and women empowerment could have had a very small contribution if at all. Most of the urban migration is also in the age below 40 years and hence the skew could be more.
3. Empowerment leads to increased divorce rate is like saying that if employees are empowered and more knowledgeable about their rights, they will quit the organization. I dont see any correlation except that the oppression and exploitment reduces.
4. People have more incentive to stay in a relationship because of empowerment. They have lesser fear their husband will beat up, husbands cant oppress so easily because the society scoffs at it and hence relationships are more harmonious.
   

The second approach was to show that it is not bad to bat at No 5 or 6. You may not get a chance to hit a century often, but you almost always have a chance of scoring the winning runs. So dont concentrate too much on starts. Think hard on getting the non-abvious strong arguments.

Comments welcome on the two approaches and counter arguments on any of my points