#AccelerateAction for Gender Equality in India: A Call for Urgent Change
- theemailescape5
- Mar 8
- 5 min read
🚀 Step Forward in Solidarity for #IWD2025 – Let’s #AccelerateAction! 💜✨
At the current pace, according to data from the World Economic Forum, gender equality won’t be achieved until 2158—five generations from now! We cannot afford to wait.
So, together, let's #AccelerateAction to speed up the rate of progress worldwide.
#AccelerateAction is a global call to drive real change. It’s time to move beyond discussions and take bold steps toward true gender equality.
This International Women’s Day 2025, let’s unite to speed up the rate of progress worldwide by beginning from the country you belong.
India has made significant progress in promoting gender equality, yet deep-rooted challenges persist. Women contribute immensely to the country’s economy, governance, and culture, but barriers like wage gaps, underrepresentation in leadership, safety concerns, and unequal access to education and healthcare continue to slow down progress.
The theme #AccelerateAction" is a call to move beyond discussions and implement real, impactful changes. Here’s how individuals, businesses, and policymakers can speed up progress for gender equality in India.
1. Women’s Economic Empowerment: Building Financial Independence
Despite India’s rising GDP, women’s workforce participation has declined to 25% in recent years. Many women face unequal pay, limited access to credit, and lack of financial decision-making power.
How India Can Accelerate Action:
Enforce Equal Pay for Equal Work laws more effectively.
Promote women entrepreneurs through access to government funding (e.g., Mudra Yojana).
Ensure banking and financial institutions provide loans and credit access to women-led businesses.
Increase awareness and participation in self-help groups (SHGs) and microfinance schemes.
💡 Success Story: The Ujjwala Yojana has empowered millions of women by providing free LPG connections, reducing dependence on unsafe cooking fuels.
2. Recruiting, Retaining & Developing Diverse Talent
Women continue to face workplace discrimination, glass ceilings, and inadequate maternity benefits. India needs more inclusive work environments.
How India Can Accelerate Action:
Enforce stronger maternity leave policies and flexible work options.
Encourage companies to increase women’s representation in leadership through mentorship programs.
Implement gender-neutral hiring and pay transparency laws.
Strengthen POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) laws and workplace grievance redressal systems.
💡 Success Story: Companies like Tata, Infosys, and ICICI Bank have implemented leadership programs for women, leading to higher retention rates.
3. Women in Leadership, Business & STEM
Only 14% of Indian businesses are led by women, and women remain underrepresented in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields.
How India Can Accelerate Action:
Introduce STEM scholarships and coding programs for girls from rural areas.
Encourage companies to hire and promote women in technology roles.
Expand government incentives for women-led startups under Startup India.
Ensure political representation for women through reserved seats in Parliament and local governance.
💡 Success Story: The Women Scientists Scheme (WOS) by the Department of Science and Technology supports female researchers in India.
4. Building Women-Centric Infrastructure
A lack of safe public transport, sanitation facilities, and housing options keeps many women from participating in the workforce.
How India Can Accelerate Action:
Improve safety in public transport through CCTV cameras and women-only services.
Expand the availability of public toilets and sanitation facilities in urban and rural areas.
Ensure that real estate and housing policies are more women-inclusive.
Invest in rural electrification and water supply projects that reduce the burden of household work on women.
💡 Success Story: Delhi’s Pink Autos and Women-Only Coaches in the metro have enhanced women’s mobility and safety.
5. Women’s Health & Well-Being: Making Informed Choices
India faces high maternal mortality rates, period poverty, and a lack of access to reproductive healthcare. Many women lack control over their own health decisions.
How India Can Accelerate Action:
Strengthen free healthcare initiatives under Ayushman Bharat for women.
Provide menstrual hygiene awareness and free sanitary products in schools.
Expand cervical and breast cancer screening programs in rural areas.
Ensure access to mental health counseling for women facing domestic violence and stress.
💡 Success Story: The Menstrual Hygiene Scheme under the National Health Mission has provided low-cost sanitary pads to millions of adolescent girls.
6. Women in Agriculture & Food Security
Nearly 75% of India’s rural workforce are women, yet they own only 13% of farmland. Women's role in agriculture is undervalued.
How India Can Accelerate Action:
Implement land rights reforms to grant women equal ownership of agricultural land.
Ensure women farmers have access to crop insurance, credit, and modern farming technology.
Promote women-led farming cooperatives to increase income and bargaining power.
Recognize women farmers officially as "farmers" in government schemes, rather than just "laborers."
💡 Success Story: The Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP) is empowering women farmers with training and financial support.
7. Education & Skill Development for Women
Despite rising literacy rates, millions of Indian girls still drop out of school due to poverty, early marriage, or lack of facilities.
How India Can Accelerate Action:
Strengthen programs like Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao to ensure girls stay in school.
Provide free vocational training for women in rural areas.
Increase government scholarships for higher education, especially in STEM fields.
Build safe and accessible schools with sanitation facilities for girls.
💡 Success Story: The Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) scheme has provided free education to thousands of disadvantaged girls.
8. Promoting Women in Sports
Women athletes still receive less funding, media coverage, and sponsorship than men.
How India Can Accelerate Action:
Provide equal pay, sponsorships, and funding for women athletes.
Expand sports training programs for girls in schools and rural areas.
Increase media coverage of women’s sports to inspire young girls.
Build more women-friendly sports facilities across India.
💡 Success Story: India’s women’s cricket team has gained global recognition, leading to better pay and sponsorship deals.
9. Promoting Women in Arts, Media & Culture
Women artists, writers, and filmmakers struggle for equal representation and funding.
How India Can Accelerate Action:
Ensure equal funding for women-led creative projects in cinema and arts.
Promote female-centric storytelling in Bollywood and regional films.
Recognize and preserve traditional women-led crafts and handloom industries.
Create platforms for women musicians, writers, and artists to showcase their work.
💡 Success Story: Women filmmakers like Guneet Monga and Zoya Akhtar have broken barriers in Indian cinema.
10. Ending Gender-Based Violence & Promoting Safety
India still struggles with high rates of domestic violence, workplace harassment, and unsafe public spaces.
How India Can Accelerate Action:
Strengthen implementation of laws against domestic violence and sexual harassment.
Expand helplines and crisis centers for women facing violence.
Improve police training on handling gender-based violence cases.
Promote community-based awareness programs on gender sensitivity.
💡 Success Story: The One Stop Centre (OSC) scheme provides integrated support to women facing violence.
Final Call: It’s Time to Act Now!
🚀 Gender equality in India cannot wait. We must act now by:
Educating ourselves & others about gender equality.
Supporting women-led businesses & initiatives.
Demanding stronger policies that promote women’s empowerment.
Speaking up against discrimination.
💡 India’s progress depends on empowering its women. Are you ready to accelerate action?
-By Amita Mistry
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