G20 Conclave: Women should be made part of the discourse : Smriti Irani

Agra: On the first day of the first meeting of G-20 Empowerment held in Agra, the Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani said, “If you want to fix your future, if you want to be prepared for the future, make sure that women think- Be at the center of discussions and let women be at the center of your decisions.

1. Summit; Provides an opportunity to bring together shared strengths to develop roadmaps and policies and promote equity and women-led development.

2. G-20 Empowerment; Strives to be the most inclusive and action-based coalition between businesses and governments to accelerate the leadership and empowerment of women in the G20 countries.

3. India’s G-20 presidency will have three key areas: “Women Entrepreneurship: A win-win opportunity for both equality and the economy”, “Partnership to promote women’s leadership at all levels, including the grassroots” and “Education – The Key to Women Empowerment and Equal Participation in the Workforce.”
The first meeting of the G-20 Empowerment is being held on 11 and 12 February 2023 at the Taj Convention Hotel in Agra. Summit; It is providing an opportunity to bring together shared strengths to develop roadmaps and policies and promote equity and women-led development.

G-20 Empowerment; Strives to be the most inclusive and action-based coalition between businesses and governments to accelerate the leadership and empowerment of women in the G20 countries. India’s G-20 presidency will have three key areas: “Women Entrepreneurship: A Win-Win Opportunity for Equality and the Economy”, “Partnership to Promote Women’s Leadership at All Levels, Including the Grassroots” and “Education – The key to women empowerment and equal participation in the workforce.”

The first meeting of ‘G-20 Empowerment’ began with a grand welcome to the representatives of the G-20 countries in the vibrant city of Agra. On the way from the airport to the meeting place, people from all over the city celebrated with flags in their hands and presented various cultural programmes.

The first day of the meet began with a morning yoga session organized by the Ministry of AYUSH with the aim of spreading the benefits of yoga towards improving physical and emotional well-being.

This was followed by a breakfast with leading female celebrities in unconventional roles, in which these celebrities highlighted their inspirational stories of overcoming the challenges they faced. The delegates were addressed by  Chhavi Rajawat, India’s first MBA Sarpanch from Rajasthan. After this,  Chikita Gulati, an entrepreneur in the field of catering, addressed the delegates. This session had the opportunity to hear from some of India’s most successful women entrepreneurs themselves about their determination and power.

After this,  Indivar Pandey, Secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Development gave his welcome speech. He said that global development in the 21st century will be led by the countries of the South and India has the potential to showcase the leadership skills of the countries of the Southern world through showcasing the leadership potential of women and their creativity.  Pandey has brought gender budgeting in 27 out of 36 states and union territories as well as the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), one of the great innovations of the century, bringing women and men under the ambit of digital financial inclusion. Highlighted focused initiatives.

Smriti Zubin Irani, Minister of Women and Child Development and Minority Affairs in her keynote address said that “If you want to make your future right, if you want to be future ready, make sure that women are a part of your deliberations and decisions.

She also pointed out how India’s presidency of the G-20 is a proud moment in history. She said that India is keen to play an important role in finding practical global solutions for the welfare of all and in doing so, reflects the spirit of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ in true sense. She particularly emphasized on the growth story of Self Help Groups (SHGs) in India, highlighted the importance of women leadership at the grassroots level and efforts to ensure banking and financial services are accessible to every woman. In addition, she cited efforts to ensure gender justice in India through a gender inclusion fund in the National Education Policy, the construction of toilets in every household, and the introduction of menstrual hygiene protocols.

G-20 Sherpa  Amitabh Kant delivering his special address at the first meeting of G-20 Empowerment
Amitabh Kant, who is the G-20 Sherpa, in his special address focused on how India is taking over the G-20 Presidency at a time when the world is in recession as well as facing climate change and climate change. It is also facing several other challenges like requirement of finance. He highlighted the vision of  Prime Minister  Narendra Modi that India’s G20 Presidency would be inclusive, decisive, result-oriented and concrete action-oriented. He indicated that increasing the per capita income of women and placing them in leadership positions is essential for India’s growth rate to increase further.

Highlighted the various initiatives taken by the Government of India to further empower women, such as Jan Dhan Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, as well as the recent budgetary provision aimed at further promoting SHGs . He said the recommendations of the G-20 Empowerment Initiative could be included in the flagship manifesto of politicians and would be in line with India’s ambitious outcomes.

Dr. Sangita Reddy, Chairperson, G-20 Empowerment, in her speech elaborated on the idea of including the agenda of women’s progress through entrepreneurship, leadership and education. The G-20 Empowerment Initiative will take this to the next level using digital inclusion and advancing women’s leadership through digital skills and eloquence.

She highlighted two India-led platforms that can give new momentum to the global women’s empowerment agenda. First, a platform has been developed by the Government of India, NASSCOM Foundation and other organizations to enhance digital literacy and future skills, along with a specialized curriculum that will be designed for use in India and around the world.

Second, a mentorship platform for women, developed in partnership with NITI Aayog, will be launched shortly.

In concluding his speech, Dr. Reddy said, “According to the new definition of billionaire, a billionaire is not one who earns a billion rupees, but a billionaire is one who makes a positive impact on the lives of a billion people and helps them move forward in life. inspires.