Smriti Irani, the Union Minister for Women and Child Development, stated during the 66th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women on Wednesday that India has been in the forefront of uplifting and empowering women on the socio-economic and political fronts.
"India is witnessing a rapid transition from women's development to women-led development, we have developed a multi-pronged approach in our strategy under the leadership of our honorable Prime Minister," Irani said in her address.
The Minister discussed numerous facets of women's socioeconomic and political standing in India, including female literacy, sex ratios, female ownership of property, residences, and bank accounts, as well as female political participation in parliament.
"We are firmly committed to eliminating all forms of discrimination, disadvantages, and violence against women. This is the fundamental framework that underpins our development story in which women's agency and leadership plays a key role in the realization of our aspiration of an 'Atmanirbhar Bharat', that is an India that is self-reliant, not just for our own sake, but in the interest of the global community in the post-COVID world," the minister said.
Irani also paid tribute to female healthcare workers and scientists for their crucial contributions to India's response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
"I pay homage to the service and resilience of over 6 million Indian female frontline workers who have protected our communities during the pandemic and Indian female scientists who have immensely contributed to the development of the vaccine and test kits in India," she said.
She also emphasised the Indian government's efforts to promote gender equality in the country.
"The Indian government has taken various steps to ensure that women in India are educationally, socially, economically, and politically lifted," Irani said, citing initiatives such as the establishment of a Gender Inclusion Fund under the New Education Policy (NEP), provisions in new labour codes to promote female employment, and encouraging female participation in previously unconventional sectors such as mining and defence.
The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is the world's leading intergovernmental body dedicated only to the advancement of gender equality and women's empowerment. It was founded on June 21, 1946, as a functional commission of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
