Indian Panchayat Leaders Make Waves at UN : Tripura's Supriya stresses amplifying women's voices
The United Nations Headquarters reverberated with the powerful voices of women representatives on May 3, as Elected Women Representatives (EWRs) from India’s Panchayati Raj Institutions, including one from Tripura, took center stage at the fifty-seventh session of the United Nations Commission on Population and Development (CPD57) Side Event titled “Localizing the SDGs: Women in Local Governance in India Lead the Way.” They captivated the audience with their inspiring stories and transformative initiatives.
Three iconic women Panchayat leaders – Supriya Das Datta from Tripura, Kunuku Hema Kumari from Andhra Pradesh, and Neeru Yadav from Rajasthan – shared their groundbreaking work empowering women and girls. Their initiatives ranged from combating child marriage to promoting education, financial inclusion, livelihood opportunities, environmental sustainability, and sports. These stories exemplified the tenacity and impact of women’s leadership in realizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Side Event was organized by the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations and the Ministry of Panchayati Raj in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on 3rd May 2024 at the UN Headquarters Secretariat Building in New York, as part of the CPD57 session.
The trio highlighted the transformative power of grassroots leadership as they articulated the challenges and struggles they faced and overcame in their leadership journey.
Supriya Das Datta, Zilla Parishad Sabhadhipati in Sepahijala district of Tripura, shared initiatives aimed at empowering women and girls, such as the construction of separate restrooms in government offices and the significant growth of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) from 600 to almost 6,000 under her leadership. She emphasized her commitment to encouraging women to participate in decision-making and ensuring their involvement in economic and social empowerment, inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s slogan of Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas.
Recognizing the challenges faced by women, Supriya Das Datta initiated ‘Your Story Must Be Told', a movement that began as a non-political platform for women to share their issues during Gram Sabhas. It evolved into 'Tomader Sabha' or 'Mahila Sabha', a forum where women from all backgrounds can participate. Supriya underscored the importance of amplifying women’s voices and ensuring that their issues are not only heard but also acted upon.
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.
Neeru Yadav showcased initiatives promoting environmental sustainability, including the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and efforts to curb plastic usage, demonstrating the critical role of women in building a cleaner and greener future. She mentioned her efforts and successes in inculcating sporting sprit among the girls and nurturing leadership in them.
Earlier, Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj set the tone for the event, highlighting India’s unique Panchayati Raj system as a beacon of decentralized power and direct democracy. Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj set the context by highlighting India’s unique system of decentralized rural local self-government through Panchayati Raj as a sterling example of direct democracy that facilitates active people’s participation. With more than 1.4 million Elected Women Representatives (EWRs), India’s journey with Panchayati Raj system is a narrative of empowerment, inclusion and progress particularly highlighting the strides made in women’s leadership. Ambassador Kamboj emphasized the meticulous alignment of local planning processes with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a special focus on addressing women’s issues.
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 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.
The event witnessed keynote speakers including Deputy Permanent Representative of Norway to the United Nations Ambassador Mr. Andreas Lovold, and representatives from UNFPA, including Pio Smith, UNFPA Asia Pacific Regional Director, Diene Keita, Deputy Executive Director (Programme), UNFPA and Andrea M. Wojnar, UNFPA India Representative, who commended India’s efforts in advancing gender equality and localizing the SDGs.
(Tripura, Tripura News)