To Get Future-ready, Women Should Be At Centre Of Decision-making: Smriti Irani

If you want to get your future right and be future-ready, make sure that women are the centre of the discourse and that women are at the centre of your decisions, Smriti Irani said at G-20 Empower Inception Meeting on Saturday in Agra.

According to the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the two-day summit is providing an opportunity to develop a roadmap, and policies and to mobilise common strengths towards promoting equality and women-led development.

Irani focused on how India’s G-20 Presidency is a watershed for the country and how it is keen to play an important role in international affairs and find pragmatic global solutions for the well-being of all.

Minister emphasised the scale of India’s self-help group (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.

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.

At the same meeting, G-20 Sherpa, Amitabh Kant said that India holds the G-20 Presidency when the world is facing several challenges such as recession, climate change and the need for climate finance, and more.

Kant said that our vision would be inclusive, decisive, outcome-oriented and action-oriented and indicated to further increase its rate of growth and women’s per capita income.

He explained initiatives taken by India that have been driving women’s empowerment, such as the Jan Dhan Yojana, Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana, and recent budgetary provisions aiming to scale up SHGs.

India will host a G-20 meeting in September this year and according to the WCD ministry, there will be three focuses on Women's entrepreneurship, partnership for promoting women's leadership and education.