India to showcase its model of empowering elected women representatives to localise SDGs during a side event titled 'Localising the SDGs: Women in Local Governance in India Lead the Way' at the UN
India's Permanent Mission to the United Nations, in collaboration with the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the United Nations Population Fund, is hosting a side event titled 'Localising the SDs: Women in Local Governance in India Lead the Way' during the 57th' session of the Commission on Population and Development on May 3, 2024, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
This event, of great significance to those interested in gender equality, local governance, and sustainable development, will be led by Shri Vivek Bharadwaj and will include elected women representatives from rural local self-government, such as Smt. Supriya Das Datta, Smt. Kunuku Hema Kumari, and Smt. Supriya Das Datta, Smt. Kunuku Hema Kumari, and Smt. Neeru Yadav.
The event will be live-streamed from the United Nations Headquarters on the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, GoI's social media pages, starting at 10:45 PM (IST). Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj will inaugurate the event, and Secretary Shri Vivek Bharadwaj will discuss strategies for gender equality and women's empowerment.
The event features a panel discussion with India's Elected Women Representatives on local self-governance. Supriya Datta will speak on women's leadership in Panchayats, Kunuku Hema Kumari will highlight Panchayat's role in social programmes, and Neeru Yadav will share her experience in promoting women-friendly Panchayats.
India is a global leader in empowering Elected Women Representatives (EWRs). 1.4 million women serve as elected members of Panchayati Raj Institutions, making up 46 percent of the total number of elected representatives. An upcoming CPD57 side event on May 3, 2024, will highlight India's model of utilising EWRs to localise the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The event will showcase Elected Women Representatives (EWRs) from India and their impact on local development aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It offers a unique opportunity to promote India's transformative model and advocate for greater global recognition and support. This event underscores India's commitment to empowering women in local governance as torchbearers of sustainable development, and your participation is highly valued.
During its G20 Presidency, India reaffirmed its commitment to gender equality and women-led development by establishing the Working Group on Women’s Empowerment. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has taken a proactive leadership role in localising and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in rural India, with women spearheading local self-governance initiatives.
Embracing a thematic approach, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj has endeavoured to localise the SDGs through Panchayati Raj Institutions, consolidating the 17 SDGs into nine overarching themes. Notably, ‘Theme 9: Women-Friendly Panchayat’ underlines the pivotal goal of securing and promoting the interests of women while ensuring their survival, protection, development, and participation rights at the grassroots level.
In order to empower women to assume leadership roles effectively, various initiatives have been launched, including providing quality training. Beginning this year, an innovative and first-of-its-kind initiative – Leadership and Management Development Programme – has been undertaken to conduct training programs for elected representatives and functionaries of PRIs in premier management institutes such as IIM Ahmedabad. The CPD57 side event showcases how EWRs like Smt. Supriya Das Datta, who received training in the first batch of MoPR’s Leadership and Management Development Programme at IIM Ahmedabad, plays catalytic roles in championing gender equality, poverty alleviation, and inclusive development at the grassroots.