Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a compelling video message at the G20 Ministerial Conference on Women Empowerment, held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The conference focused on fostering women’s entrepreneurship, leadership, and education while addressing key challenges faced by women worldwide.
Prime Minister Modi welcomed the dignitaries to Gandhinagar, a city named after Mahatma Gandhi, and expressed his delight that they had the opportunity to visit the iconic Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad. He emphasized the urgent need for sustainable solutions to global issues such as climate change and global warming, highlighting the simplicity of Gandhiji’s lifestyle and his visionary ideas of sustainability, self-reliance, and equality at Gandhi Ashram.
The Prime Minister underscored the crucial role of women in driving economic growth, educational progress, and social inclusivity. He stated that “when women prosper, the world prospers,” and reaffirmed India’s commitment to women-led development. The Prime Minister lauded the inspiring example set by India’s President, Droupadi Murmu, who leads the world’s largest democracy and serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the world’s second-largest defense force despite coming from a humble tribal background.
India has made remarkable strides in women’s empowerment, with equal voting rights granted to all citizens, including women, from the beginning of its democratic journey. The Prime Minister proudly stated that 46% of elected representatives in rural local bodies in India are women, amounting to 1.4 million. He also praised the mobilization of women into self-help groups, which proved to be a powerful force for change during the pandemic, manufacturing masks, sanitizers, and raising awareness about infection prevention.
Highlighting various initiatives aimed at empowering women, Prime Minister Modi mentioned that around 70% of loans to support micro-level units under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana have been sanctioned to women. Moreover, 80% of beneficiaries under Stand-Up India, availing bank loans for greenfield projects, are women. The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana has provided nearly 100 million cooking gas connections to rural women, improving their health and impacting the environment positively.
The Prime Minister also commended the increasing participation of women in technical education, STEM fields, and space research, where women scientists played pivotal roles in successful missions like Chandrayaan, Gaganyaan, and Mission Mars.
Recognizing women’s vital contributions to the rural agricultural sector, as well as small trading and entrepreneurship, the Prime Minister stated that women hold the key to innovative solutions for climate change. He praised the historical ‘Chipko Movement’ led by women in the 18th century, which aimed to protect forests from unregulated logging, exemplifying their deep connection with nature.
Drawing attention to women entrepreneurs in India, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the historic cooperative movement of Shri Mahila Grih Udyog, initiated by seven Gujarati women in 1959. This movement has transformed the lives of millions of women and families, with products like Lijjat Papad gaining international recognition. The dairy sector also witnessed the active involvement of 3.6 million women in Gujarat alone.
The Prime Minister stressed the need for creating a level playing field, removing barriers that restrict women’s access to markets, global value chains, and affordable finance. Simultaneously, he emphasized the importance of addressing the burden of care and domestic work.