Women have to be at the center of any discourse and decision for a future-ready society, Union Minister Smriti Irani has observed.
Speaking at the G20 EMPOWER Inception Meeting held recently at Agra, she was quoted as saying, “If you want to get your future right, if you want to be future-ready, make sure that women are the center of the discourse and that women are at the center of your decisions.”
The Minister emphasized the scale of India’s SHG story and highlighted the importance of women’s leadership at grassroots levels and efforts for ensuring the availability of banking and financial services to every woman. Besides, she also cited the quest for gender justice in India through a gender-inclusion fund in the National Education Policy, the construction of toilets for every household, and the introduction of a menstrual hygiene protocol.
The release from the Ministry of Women and Child Development said that India’s G20 Presidency was a watershed moment in history.
Reports also said that the meet showcased an exhibition, concurrently covering the work of women-led micro-enterprises, women artisans, and craftspersons from various states. The display highlighted the contributions of women at the grassroots, including health, financial inclusion, digital skilling, etc.
The first meeting of the G20 gender group, the G20 Alliance for the Empowerment and Progression of Women’s Economic Representation (EMPOWER), was held under India’s WCD ministry, which is the nodal ministry for the series of meetings, said news reports.
G20 EMPOWER endeavors to be an inclusive and action-driven alliance among businesses and governments to accelerate women’s leadership and empowerment across G20 countries. The three focus areas under India’s G20 Presidency are: “Women’s Entrepreneurship: A win-win for Equity and Economy”, “Partnership for promoting women’s leadership at all levels including at grassroots”, and “Education, the key to women’s empowerment and equal workforce participation”.
