While several members of the ruling BJP at the Centre scoffed at assertions that Kerala is ahead of many other states in a variety of ways, a representative from the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) praised the Kudumbashree mission for introducing several women empowerment programmes in the Kerala.
P Usha Rani, the lead officer in charge of NRLM's Institution Building and Capacity Building (IBCB), social inclusion, and social development, said the latter has been recognised as a "national level resource organisation" for various women empowerment programmes in other states, such as setting up micro enterprises.
Usha Rani expressed her thoughts, “Several states have registered for getting support from Kudumbashree, for setting micro-enterprises. The achievements of Kudumbashree in setting up community kitchens are remarkable. Kudumbashree has also enabled some women to break the gender barriers.”
She came to learn about gender intervention initiatives in Kerala and to attend a national workshop on 'Developing immersion sites and improving institutional mechanisms for gender integration' hosted by the Union Ministry of Rural Development.
Kudumbashree has developed a high level of synergy with local bodies, police, members of the legal services authority, youth organisations, and a range of other agencies, according to Rani. Local governments and the state government both promote women's empowerment programmes.
Rani noted that constructing a culture that ensures equal status for men and women required the participation of the entire community, and she praised Kerala's efforts in raising awareness. They're also depending on many powerful cultural forms, like as theatre, to disseminate gender equality awareness, she said.
S M Vijayanand, the former Kerala chief secretary, also attended the programme.
