Equal rights for women need to be at helm of building an Aatma Nirbhar Bharat

New Delhi: While addressing  the Special Session on Aatmanirbhar Bharat: Role of Women in India, in the 115th Annual Session of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ms. Dia Mirza, Actor, Producer; UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador & United Nations Secretary General’s Advocate for Sustainable Development Goals said that UN has put women and girls in the center of focus to recover from COVID-19. The key priorities are ensuring women’s equal representation in all COVID-19 response planning and decision making including women’s organization and frontline workers; economic equality by including wage equality, forming jobs, and including overall female labor participation in India in the long run.  
 
Ms. Dia Mirza mentioned that in India, the majority of the healthcare workers, social activists, Asha workers and Anganwadi workers at the frontline during these times of crisis. , were women.
 
Giving a global outlook about the condition of women, she discussed that more than half of the sustainable goals and work direction towards Aatma Nirbhar Bharat depends on women. Covid-19 has shown us how severe the impact can be on women, highlighting the need for focus on gender-based violence. 
 
We need to make our policies more robust, ensure that we include sustainable development goals, and keep climate action at the center of our priorities. We have to remind every citizen of the nation that economic growth comes at the cost of ecology and, we can no longer afford to create ecological imbalance. We truly believe that women’s rights and gender justice need to be at the heart of Aatma Nirbhar Bharat said, Ms. Dia Mirza. 
 
Dr. Deepa Malik, Padma Shri; Khel Ratna; Arjuna Awardee; President- Paralympic Committee of India while deliberating about the need for a strong infrastructure also mentioned that skill development is very important to become Self Reliant. 
 
While sharing her success story and also the difficulties she faced, she mentioned that there needs to be a change in the stereotypical mindset of the society towards women and handicapped citizens. We have to start taking initiatives and be the voice of our own and at the same time empower other women too.
 
It’s time that women come forward, support each other, create opportunities for each other, showcase our potential, and voluntarily contribute to the development of our country.
 
Ms. Mahima Chaudhry, Renowned Bollywood Actress; Video Jockey & Entrepreneur mentioned that spreading the internet across all the areas in the country is the need of the hour so that opportunities are given to every woman and child across the country. 
 
She mentioned a lot of women have lost their jobs in the Covid Times and it is getting difficult for them to resume back due to paucity of resources to handle their home front. So for the inclusion of women, it is mandatory to understand their current situations, mindsets and challenges faced by them and in accordance take appropriate and necessary actions to reach out to every woman.
It is time that to create job opportunities for women especially in rural areas, suiting their needs. We need to support them in daycare, funding and provide incentives to corporates who hire women. 
 
Corporates and governments need to realize that women have greater power in taking the GDP up. Creating women empowerment will help in the overall development of the Nation highlighted Ms. Chaudhry. 
 
Ms. Naina Lal Kidwai, Chairperson, India Advisory Board, Advent Private Equity mentioned that we can empower women in every country in every way and, we are well on track to eradicate poverty and have sustained economic growth. 
 
She deliberated about the need for a microfinance movement in the country that will help the women self-help groups to get finance which will help them run a business, leading to generation of livelihood for them.
 
She shared that women have been severely impacted during the pandemic in terms of livelihood, business and jobs, among others. She suggested that if we can provide E-Commerce connect to women, we can provide them opportunities even in such times helping them to create new ways for growth. She also shared the other challenges faced by women in these times that include banking problems, household management, and workplace management. 
 
Ms. Anuradha Goel, Chairperson, PHD Family Welfare Foundation in her welcome address discussed the need to empower women for Nation building. She discussed the success stories of women in various industries and verticals at the same time multitasking in their lives by handling their family and profession. 
 
She mentioned that the PHD Chamber and PHD Welfare Foundation believe in the strong role women and girls play by actively supporting and transforming society. PHD Chamber believes in the power of women to build and sustain change and every year PHD Chamber recognizes World-Changing Women Leaders. We also encourage MSMEs  run by women entrepreneurs. She talked about various programs, initiatives, and activities conducted by the foundation to make Women Self-Reliant. 
 
Dr. Aruna Abhey Oswal, Chairperson, Women Entrepreneurs Committee while deliberating about the various programs, initiatives, and other virtual high profile events organized by WE Committee delivered a formal vote of thanks to all the delegates and participants. 

Dr Oswal mentioned that to there is a need to create a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem where women do not face any gender-based barriers or exclusion, which will help create a dynamic ‘New India’.
 
The session was moderated by Ms. Naghma Sahar, Senior Journalist, NDTV and was also attended by Ms. Vertica Dvivedi, Co-chairperson, Women Entrepreneurs Committee.