“Empowering Women in Local Governance: India’s Panchayati Raj Model and the Journey Towards the SDGs” This title encapsulates the essence of
The women representatives shared their inspiring initiatives and achievements in driving progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through local governance.
Elected Women Representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions participated in the CPD57 Side Event titled “Localizing the SDGs: Women in Local Governance in India Lead the Way” at New York on 3rd May 2024.
Venue: The event took place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, where the powerful voices of amazing women leaders resonated.
Focus: The women representatives shared their inspiring initiatives and achievements in driving progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through local governance.
Challenges: Despite their successes, the women leaders also mentioned facing challenges and struggles along the journey of leadership.
These points encapsulate the key highlights and themes of the passage regarding the participation of women leaders in local governance and their efforts towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
the significant event that took place on May 3, 2024, at the United Nations Headquarters.
the significant event that took place on May 3, 2024, at the United Nations Headquarters. The event showcased the exceptional contributions and leadership of women representatives from India’s Panchayati Raj Institutions during the CPD57 Side Event titled “Localizing the SDGs: Women in Local Governance in India Lead the Way.” Three influential women Panchayat leaders – Smt. Supriya Das Datta, Smt. Kunuku Hema Kumari, and Smt. Neeru Yadav – shared their remarkable initiatives aimed at empowering women and girls in various aspects such as combating child marriage, promoting education, financial inclusion, livelihood opportunities, environmental sustainability, and sports.
The collaboration between the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations
The collaboration between the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) resulted in a captivating event that highlighted India’s Panchayati Raj system as a model of decentralized power and direct democracy. The event emphasized India’s commitment to empowering women in local governance, with a notable representation of over 46% of elected representatives being women. The alignment of local planning processes with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was underscored, showcasing the meticulous efforts to address women’s issues and drive progress at the grassroots level.
Key speakers including Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, Shri Vivek Bharadwaj, impactful women elected representatives like Smt. Supriya Das Datta, Smt. Kunuku Hema Kumari, and Smt. Neeru Yadav, as well as representatives from UNFPA and Norway, highlighted the transformative power of women’s leadership in local governance. They commended India’s progress in advancing gender equality, reducing inequalities, and localizing the SDGs through innovative approaches and initiatives.
Add Your Heading Text HereShri Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj
Shri Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, while shedding light on the robust democratic system in India and rich and old tradition of rural local self-government making India as ‘mother of democracy’, emphasized India’s commitment to empowering women in local governance, with over 46% of elected representatives being women; and how Gram Panchayats are localizing the SDGs through thematic annual plans backed by resources and technological interventions like geo-tagging, Audit Online for transparency and initiatives like Panchayat Development Index to assess the overall holistic development, performance and progress of Panchayats. Empowering women at the grassroots level is pivotal for the advancement, vibrancy, and deepening of democracy and accelerating progress on the SDGs, added Shri Bharadwaj. He highlighted the innovative approaches taken by Panchayati Raj Institutions in leveraging technology for development and policy interventions to ensure economic empowerment, citing examples like “Drone Didi” and “Lakhpati Didi” initiatives of the Central Government.
Smt. Supriya Das Datta highlighted initiatives aimed at empowering women and girls
Smt. Supriya Das Datta highlighted initiatives aimed at empowering women and girls, including the construction of separate restrooms in government offices and the exponential growth of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) from 600 to almost 6,000 under her leadership. She underscored the importance of initiatives aimed at amplifying women’s voices and ensuring that their issues are not only heard but also acted upon, highlighting the impactful initiative – ‘Your Story Must Be Told’.
Smt. Kunuku Hema Kumari emphasized the importance of creating an enabling environment for women through access to health, education, and financial resources, driving towards financial independence and higher education.
The CPD57 Side Event not only celebrated the pivotal role of women in local governance but also sparked global interest in learning from and adopting India's successful Panchayati Raj model.
The CPD57 Side Event not only celebrated the pivotal role of women in local governance but also sparked global interest in learning from and adopting India’s successful Panchayati Raj model. The event showcased how women-led development initiatives have revolutionized progress across various sectors including health, education, sanitation, and livelihoods in India, setting an inspiring example for the global community to follow.
The CPD57 Side Event created global demand to learn from and institutionalize the successful Panchayati Raj model of local governance led by women. As Ambassador Kamboj stated, this system has revolutionized development with women at the forefront across health, education, sanitation and livelihoods in India.
