The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) have embarked on a collaborative partnership aimed at empowering women to make informed career choices in the field of entrepreneurship. This strategic alliance will provide crucial support to women looking to start and expand their enterprises, with a special focus on sectors such as the care economy, digital economy, electric mobility, waste management, and more.
The primary objective of the three-year project, which can be extended beyond 2025, is to foster entrepreneurship development and accelerate enterprise growth among women. In its initial phase, the project will be implemented in eight cities, targeting urban women with innovative opportunities for economic empowerment.
During the signing ceremony, Union Joint Secretary Rahul Kapoor, who also serves as the Director of DAY-NULM, highlighted the mission's crucial role in empowering urban communities. Kapoor expressed optimism about the partnership with UNDP, believing that it will enhance the effectiveness and impact of their interventions under the Mission.
Shoko Noda, Resident Representative of UNDP India, emphasized the significance of women's entrepreneurship as a powerful strategy for poverty alleviation, financial independence, and transforming gender norms. Noda highlighted the fact that women currently constitute only 15 percent of total entrepreneurs in India, stressing the urgent need to increase this number. By promoting women's entrepreneurship, not only will women be empowered, but it will also contribute to overall economic growth and foster a happier and healthier society. UNDP and DAY-NULM's collaboration aims to build an inclusive entrepreneurship ecosystem that supports and uplifts women.
Leveraging their extensive knowledge in linking over 200,000 women to better employment opportunities, UNDP will provide national-level capacity-building support to DAY-NULM. This permission will concentrate on generating and managing knowledge, such as compiling compendiums of best practices related to urban poverty, to improve the implementation of national-level schemes.
Additionally, UNDP and DAY-NULM will collaborate on piloting innovative solutions, particularly in the care economy domain. This will involve on-ground mobilization actions, including determining areas of urban poverty and potential women entrepreneurs. The partnership will also facilitate access to Business Development Services, providing handholding support to women entrepreneurs in formalizing their businesses, establishing bank linkages, and securing access to finance and markets.
As part of their grant to the initiative, UNDP will evolve community business mentors known as "Biz-Sakhis" in selected project locations. These mentors will provide support to new and existing enterprises and serve as a valuable resource for DAY-NULM in the future.
The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) seeks to uplift the urban poor by improving sustainable livelihood opportunities via skill development. The scheme covers all 4,041 statutory cities and towns, encompassing a significant portion of India's urban population. Through their remarkable grassroots initiatives, DAY-NULM has mobilized over 8.4 million urban poor women across India, forming more than 831,000 self-help groups (SHGs) in over 4,000 towns. These efforts have facilitated economic empowerment and amplified the voices of marginalized sections of the urban population, including Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes, minorities, female-headed households, street vendors, and ragpickers.
The partnership between UNDP and DAY-NULM holds great promise for empowering women in entrepreneurship, unleashing their potential for economic growth, and creating a more inclusive and prosperous society. By offering comprehensive support, fostering innovation, and promoting knowledge sharing, this collaboration aims to drive sustainable change and uplift urban women toward a brighter future.
