Page 4 - Women Empowerment

Odisha disbursed Rs 5,024 cr to 10 mn women on Women's Day: Dy CM Pravati

Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida also criticised the opposition, and questioned what work had they done to empower the women

WHO emphasises on rights, equality, empowerment on Intl Women's Day

Saima Wazed, Regional Director for WHO South-East Asia, emphasised that the South-East Asia's growth and development is "inextricably linked" to the health and wellness of women

Women-led tech startups' funding drops 25% in 2024, says Tracxn report

India ranks third globally after US and UK in funding raised by women-led tech startups

Women shatter glass ceiling, increase investments in real estate market

Despite their progress, women investors like Sabbarwal, Somani and Kripalani face significant challenges in real estate

Women-led technology startups struggle to overcome funding winter

Women VCs, including Jahagirdar and Chaturvedi, believe that more women investors can make the fundraising process less intimidating for women founders

Nearly 80% of women-led businesses face global payment challenges: Report

Around 80 per cent of women-led businesses encounter difficulties with international payments, while 60 per cent struggle with complex regulatory compliances, according to a report. Despite their increasing role in the economy, women-led enterprises constitute just 15.4 per cent of India's 58.5 million businesses, the report on growing ambitions of women entrepreneurs in cross-border trade stated. The report stated that a poll of more than 300 women entrepreneurs highlighted four major challenges, including international payments and compliances, that women face while expanding their businesses globally. Around 60 per cent of women entrepreneurs struggle with export laws, trade regulations, and complex compliance requirements, the report prepared by Aspire For Her and payment solutions provider Payoneer said. Limited access to financial resources and supply chain & logistics issues are the other major challenges, it added. "Many women entrepreneurs face funding shortages and ...

Govt to celebrate Women's Day with 'Viksit Bharat with Nari Shakti' theme

Women and Child Development (WCD) Minister Annapurna Devi on Thursday announced the government will celebrate International Women's Day on March 8 as a national event with the theme 'Viksit Bharat with Nari Shakti'. A national consultation will be held in the presence of President Droupadi Murmu at Vigyan Bhawan here on March 8, Devi said in a video message. In a statement, the WCD Ministry stressed the significance of International Women's Day as a global occasion to recognise women's achievements across national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic and political boundaries. "The government will celebrate International Women's Day on March 8 as a national event on the theme of Developed India with Nari Shakti which would be graced by the President," Devi said. The statement said 2025 holds special importance as it marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a landmark document that has transformed the global women's rights agenda. "The ...

India leads global GenAI adoption, but women's participation remains low

According to data from Coursera, while India ranks second globally in GenAI enrolments among women learners, they account for only 29.6 per cent of total GenAI enrolments in the country

If voted to power in 2027, will bring 'Stree Samman Yojana': Akhilesh

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Monday said his party will introduce the 'Stree Samman-Samriddhi Yojana' in 2027 if voted to power in the state. In a post on X in Hindi, Yadav wrote, "We will launch the 'Stree Samman-Samriddhi Yojana' in 2027 and empower every girl, young woman, and female citizen!" The former chief minister also shared an about 4-minute video highlighting the challenges faced by women and portraying hope for change if the SP forms the government in 2027. The assembly polls in UP are due in 2027. Yadav has consistently asserted in his speeches that the SP will return to power in UP in 2027.

SHG Plus model helping Bihar's rural women build homes, educate children

Kiran Kumari of Bihar's Muzaffarpur remembers a time when borrowing money at exorbitant rates was the norm for her. Now, a unique community loan system designed to empower rural women has not only provided her with an escape from the debt trap but also a way to secure her family's future. Women in Bihar who once struggled to make ends meet are now growing strawberries, building homes and investing in their children's education through SHG Plus -- an evolution of the traditional self-help group (SHG) model that is designed to empower rural women through financial inclusion, transparency and collective strength. The system's evolution was dreamed up by the women themselves. The model was developed with help from the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme India. "We used to borrow money from lenders at 60 per cent interest. It's only 2 per cent under SHG Plus," Kiran Kumari says. "Now, we don't need to borrow from outside." In the villages of Muzaffarpur, Kiran Kumari's journey is not ...

Women achievers to take over PM Modi's social media accounts on Women's Day

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that he will hand over his various social media accounts to women achievers in different fields to mark the International Women's Day on March 8. In his monthly Mann Ki Baat address, he said these successful women in different fields will speak about their work and experience on his social media accounts. "Let's us celebrate and respect the indomitable spirit of women," he said, lauding the increasing participation of women in different sectors. Modi had handed over his social media accounts to seven leading women in different fields on March 8 in 2020 in a similar gesture. With followers in tens of millions on X, YouTube and Instagram among other handles, Modi is one of the most followed global leaders on social media. The prime minister also renewed his appeal to people to take measures to deal with the growing problem of obesity, saying it is necessary for India to become a fit and healthy country. Citing research, he said one out of

Maharashtra's 'Ladki Bahin' scheme mainly benefits married women: Study

Married women make up as many as 83 per cent of the beneficiaries of the Maharashtra government's 'Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana', as per official data. The scheme, which is supposed to have played a role in the BJP-led coalition's victory in the November 2024 assembly elections, provides monthly assistance of Rs 1,500 to women aged 21 to 65 who are married, divorced, widowed, deserted, or destitute, and whose family income is below Rs 2,50,000 per year. The benefit is also provided to one unmarried woman per family. The scheme has, as of now, some 2.5 crore beneficiaries, though the government is now carrying out a scrutiny to omit those who are ineligible. Data indicates that married women constitute 83 per cent while unmarried women constitute 11.8 per cent of the beneficiaries, a senior official said on Thursday. Widows account for 4.7 per cent of beneficiaries, while 'divorced, destitute or deserted' women collectively make up less than 1 per cent of the cohort. ...

Odisha CM Majhi disburses Rs 900 cr to 1.8 mn women under Subhadra scheme

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday disbursed Rs 5,000 each to over 18 lakh women beneficiaries under Subhadra Yojana in the 4th phase of the first instalment in the state. Accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida and Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling, Majhi disbursed about Rs 900 crore through direct bank transfer (DBT) system at a function held in Jajpur district. With this, a total of over 98 lakh women have received Rs 5,000 each under the Subhadra Yojana launched by the BJP government in Odisha. Fulfilling the promise, the people's government has provided direct assistance to the beneficiaries through DBT, which has played a significant role in strengthening their financial condition, he said. The chief minister said this scheme is fulfilling the hopes and aspirations of the mother power of the state and is helping to build a prosperous Odisha. I believe that all the beneficiaries can empower themselves and strengthen their economic status through sm

Oracle India announces programme to train 500,000 in new tech by 2028

AI, cybersecurity, data science and application development among subjects it will cover

Chennai among top 3 cities for women's social, industrial inclusion: Study

Chennai has been recognised as one of the top three cities in India excelling in social and industrial inclusion for women, according to a recent study. As many as eight cities from Tamil Nadu have figured in the list with the capital city ranking second for being the most inclusive, safe and resilient and sustainable city for working women. As per the Top Cities for Women in India 2024 report by Avtar group, South India emerged as the most gender-inclusive region with 16 cities in the south featuring in the top 25. Bengaluru has surpassed Chennai to secure the top position as the best city in the country for working women in 2024, it said. Avtar Group Founder-President Saundarya Rajesh said Chennai came second for being the most inclusive, safe, resilient, sustainable city for working women and Tamil Nadu dominated the survey results with Coimbatore, Tiruchirappalli, Vellore, Madurai, Salem, Erode and Tiruppur also being on the top of the list. "Cities are the foundations of ...

BJP to ramp up representation of women in its organisational structures

The BJP is likely to have a higher representation of women in its organisational structures, compared to its outgoing committees at various levels from booth upwards, as it prepares for the implementation of the law reserving one-third seats Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women. Sources said in a state like Madhya Pradesh, the BJP may have at least seven to eight women districts presidents in its 62 organisational districts against the none in the outgoing set-up. Similarly, in Bihar, the BJP recently named two women district presidents amid its ongoing nationwide organisational election exercise. Party sources said their national leadership is of the view that it is necessary to groom a crop of women leaders bottom-up so that able candidates are in place when the law reserving one-third of Lok Sabha and assembly seats come into force. "In the absence of genuine women alternatives, dominant male leaders will prop up women linked to their families to fill the quota. The message

SC refuses to examine pleas challenging Women Reservation Act 2023

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to examine pleas challenging the delimitation clause in the 2023 Nari Shakti Vandan Act which reserves one-third seats for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies. A bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and P B Varale was not inclined to entertain the petitions filed by one Jaya Thakur and the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) under Article 32 of the Constitution. The bench pointed out Jaya Thakur's petition challenged the bill, which had become the Act, whereas the NFIW challenged the delimitation clause of the law. While Thakur's plea was dismissed as infructuous, the court was not inclined to examine NFIW's plea under Article 32 saying it could move the high court or any other appropriate forum. The NFIW challenged the constitutional validity of Article 334A (1) or Clause 5 of the 2023 Act where it rendered delimitation of constituencies a prerequisite to the implementation of the Act. On November 3, 2023, the top court while hearing ...

Better power supply improves rural women's autonomy, safety, finds study

IIT-Kanpur researchers found that improved electricity supply enhances rural women's mobility, participation in household decision-making, health, marital choices, reproductive autonomy, and safety

Panchayati Raj has played key role in empowering women: President Murmu

President Droupadi Murmu on Monday said the Panchayati Raj Institutions, which provide a platform for governance and community development at the grassroots level, have played an important role in the empowerment of women. Addressing an event here, the president advised the women representatives to discharge their responsibilities fearlessly as elected representatives in the panchayats. She said that as a panchayat representative, they have the right to resolve mutual disputes among the villagers. "They should use this right appropriately and try to resolve disputes among the villagers at the panchayat level itself. This will not only save people's resources and time but will also increase mutual harmony," Murmu was quoted as having said in a statement issued by her office. She was addressing a group of Scheduled Tribe women representatives of the Panchayati Raj Institutions, who had called on her at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre here. The group is in Delhi under the ...

Cong unveils 'Pyari Didi' scheme, promises Rs 2,500 a month to Delhi women

The Congress on Monday announced a 'Pyari Didi Yojana', promising a monthly financial assistance of Rs 2,500 to women if voted to power in Delhi. The scheme would be rolled out on the lines of the model adopted by the Congress government in Karnataka. Announcing the scheme, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said it aims to financially empower women, promising that it would be implemented at the first Cabinet meeting of the new government. "Today, I have come here to launch the Pyari Didi Yojana. We are confident that a Congress government will be formed in Delhi, and on the first day of the new Cabinet, we will implement the scheme to provide Rs 2,500 to every woman in the capital," Shivakumar said. Elections to the 70-member Delhi Assembly are due in February. Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav, the party's Delhi in-charge Qazi Nizamuddin, and other senior leaders were present during the announcement.