May 06, 2025 07:49 am (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
Centre asks several states to conduct security mock drills amid tensions with Pakistan, first since 1971 | PM Modi holds meeting with Defence Secy as India plans retaliation against Pahalgam attack | Terror hideout busted in Kashmir's Poonch amid India-Pak border tensions after Pahalgam attack | India snaps water flow to Pakistan from Baglihar dam on Chenab river in Pahalgam fallout | Trump imposes 100 percent tariff on non-US films, says 'Hollywood dying a very fast death' | Pahalgam fallout: India suspends Pakistan I&B minister Ataullah Tarar's X account | India bans all imports from Pakistan in Pahalgam terror attack fallout | Yunus aide threatens Bangladesh would occupy North East states if India attacks Pakistan | Pahalgam aftermath: Pakistan test-fires ballistic missile with 450-km range amid escalation in tension with India | 'Your govt stands at a historic crossroads': Tejashwi Yadav to PM Modi on caste census move
Narendra Modi
PM Narendra Modi addresses G20 Ministerial Conference on Women Empowerment at Gandhinagar, in Gujarat via video message on August 2, 2023.Photo Courtesy: PIB

When women prosper, the world prospers: says Narendra Modi in his message while addressing G20 Ministerial Conference

| @indiablooms | Aug 02, 2023, at 08:25 pm

New Delhi: Hailing their contribution, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the G20 Ministerial Conference on Women Empowerment, on Wednesday said the world develops with the prosperity of eves.

“When women prosper,  the world prospers,” the Prime Minister remarked while addressing the Gandhinagar event via video conference as he noted that their economic empowerment fuels growth and their access to education drives global progress.

He further added that their leadership fosters inclusivity and their voices inspire positive change.

The Prime Minister underlined that the most effective way to empower women is through a women-led development approach and India is making huge strides in this direction.

The Prime Minister emphasized that India's President Droupadi Murmu is setting an inspiring example herself.

He underlined that she leads the world's largest democracy and serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the world's second-largest defence force even though she comes from a humble tribal background.

In this Mother of Democracy, the Prime Minister said, the ‘Right to Vote’ was granted equally to all citizens including women by the Indian Constitution right from the beginning and the right to contest elections was also granted based on equality.

The Prime Minister noted that elected women representatives have been key agents of economic, environmental and social change and informed that 46% of elected representatives in rural local bodies in India are women numbering 1.4 million.

Underlining that the mobilization of women into self-help groups has also been a powerful force for change, the Prime Minister highlighted the self-help groups and elected women representatives emerging as pillars of support for our communities during the pandemic.

The Prime Minister gave examples of their achievements and mentioned the manufacturing of masks and sanitisers, and creating awareness about prevention of infection.

“More than 80% of nurses and midwives in India are women. They were our first line of defence during the pandemic. And, we are proud of their achievements,” he added.

Underlining that women-led development has been a key priority for the government, the Prime Minister mentioned that around 70% of the loans up to one million rupees to support micro-level units under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana have been sanctioned to women. Similarly, 80% of beneficiaries under Stand-Up India are women, availing bank loans for green field projects.

Noting that clean cooking fuel directly impacts the environment and improves the health of women, the Prime Minister highlighted the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana and informed that nearly 100 million cooking gas connections have been provided to rural women.

He also informed that the number of women in technical education in Industrial Training Institutes has doubled since 2014, nearly 43 percent of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) graduates in India are women, and about one-fourth of space scientists in India are women.

“Behind the success of our flagship programmes like Chandrayaan,  Gaganyaan and Mission Mars lies the talent and hard work of these women scientists,” he said.

Modi pointed out that India has one of the highest percentages of female pilots in civil aviation while female pilots in the Indian Air Force are also flying fighter aircraft.

Modi noted that women officers are being deployed in operational roles and fighting platforms in all our armed forces.

The Prime Minister highlighted the pivotal roles played by women as the backbone of rural agricultural families and as small traders and shopkeepers.

Underlining their close association with nature, the Prime Minister said that women hold the key to innovative solutions to climate change.

He recalled how women led the first prominent climate action in India in the 18th century when the Bishnoi community of Rajasthan led by Amrita Devi started the ‘Chipko Movement’ to prevent unregulated logging.

The Prime Minister informed that she along with several other villagers laid down her life for the cause of nature.

“Women in India have also been brand Ambassadors for ‘Mission LiFE -   Lifestyle for Environment’”, the Prime Minister said as he highlighted their traditional wisdom to reduce,  reuse,  recycle, and re-purpose.

Under various initiatives, the Prime Minister added, women are actively getting trained in making solar panels and lights.

He mentioned the ‘Solar Mamas’ initiative that has been successful in collaborating with partner countries in the Global South.

“Women entrepreneurs are significant contributors to the global economy,” the Prime Minister said as he emphasized the role of women entrepreneurs in India.

Modi pointed out that in India, about 15% of unicorn startups have at least one woman founder and the combined value of these women-led unicorns is over 40 billion dollars.

The Prime Minister stresses the need to create a level platform where women achievers become the norm.

He emphasized working towards removing the barriers that restrict their access to markets, global value chains,  and affordable finance while ensuring that the burden of care and domestic work is appropriately addressed at the same time.

Concluding the address, the Prime Minister lauded the focus of the Ministerial Conference on women's entrepreneurship, leadership and education and expressed delight at the launch of the ‘Tech-Equity Platform’ to enhance digital and financial literacy for women.

He also mentioned that under India’s G20 Presidency, a new Working Group on ‘Women Empowerment’ is being established.

He expressed confidence that untiring efforts in Gandhinagar will give immense hope and confidence to women around the world.

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
Close menu