SPEECH BY HER EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA, SHRIMATI PRATIBHA DEVISINGH PATIL, AT THE LAUNCHING OF NATIONAL MISSION FOR SOCIO ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN ON THE OCCASION OF INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY AND GIVING AWAY OF THE ANNUAL STREE SHAKTI AWARDS

New Delhi, 8th March 2010

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It gives me immense pleasure to be with you when the Centenary Year of the International Women's Day is being observed. It is a day to celebrate the spirit of ordinary women, who have played extraordinary roles in shaping their family, community, society and country. At the same time, it is a day to reflect on the progress made in achieving the goal of all-round development of women, and of implementing a pro-active agenda of change.

I remember, it was thirty five years ago, when I was Minister for Social Welfare in Maharashtra, that 1975 was designated as the International Women's Year by the United Nations. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who took particular interest in women's welfare issues, constituted a National Committee for International Women's Year. At the national level meeting of this Committee, many issues relating to the status of women were discussed and important initiatives were undertaken. Indiraji's message to the women of the country and to the First Conference on Women held in Mexico in 1975 was that, "a woman's stature will be determined by her capacity to see with clarity and sympathy; and by her will to act." Twenty years later, in 1995, Beijing hosted the Fourth World Conference on Women, in which I participated. There, a global action plan to achieve the goal of gender equality was agreed to by the international community. I had said on that occasion, that I had read a poem in school:- "If all the trees were one tree, what a great tree it would be; If all the rivers were one river, what a great river it would be." That is why I would like to say, if all the women in the world work unitedly, what a great work it would be, if they speak in one voice what a great voice it would be to bring peace, prosperity and happiness in the world. This year is the 15th anniversary of the Beijing Conference. I convey my greetings to all the women of the world.

I am informed that the theme for the 2010 International Women's Day is, 'Equal rights, equal opportunities: Progress for all". It is an important theme that is in consonance with our vision to pursue an inclusive developmental agenda. The prosperity and growth of our nation requires that women - half of our population are actively drawn into the planning and development process, especially at the grassroots level in rural areas. Facts speak for themselves. Agriculture is the main employer of women. 75 percent of the total female workforce and 85 percent of rural women are employed in agriculture. In this context, schemes like Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana to meet the specific needs of women farmers are important.

We can draw strength from our Constitution in whose framework the principles of equity, equality, equal rights and equal opportunities are deeply entrenched. The women of our nation did get a head-start in free India, as universal adult franchise was adopted. Women got voting rights along with their male counterparts. This was not the case in many other countries, where women had to strive to get their voting rights. Women have been participating in the political life of the nation before, during and after independence. They have been elected to the office of the President, the Prime Minister and the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. At the grass roots level, there are 1.2 million elected women representatives in local bodies in villages and towns, which is about 36 percent. To increase the representation of women in elected bodies of local urban bodies and the Panchayati Raj institutions, it is proposed to increase this percentage to 50 percent. The Women's Reservation Bill providing for 33 percent reservation to women in State Legislatures and in the Lok Sabha, has now been taken-up in the Rajya Sabha for its logical conclusion.

In these more than 60 years since our independence, we have also made significant strides in empowering our women, by addressing the social discriminations faced by them, providing them access to resources and spreading awareness amongst them of their rights. Continuing in that tradition, we are taking on this day, another step towards achieving the collective national goal of holistic empowerment of all women of this country, with the launch of the National Mission for Empowerment of Women. My belief has been that empowerment of women is crucial for the empowerment of our nation, and with this belief I had announced the setting up of the National Mission for Empowerment of Women, in my address to the first session of both Houses of Parliament, after the elections to the 15th Lok Sabha. The idea of a national mission was first mooted by the Committee of Governors set up to study and recommend a strategy, for the speedy socio-economic development and empowerment of women. The launch of the Mission promises co-ordinated delivery of women-centric and women-related programmes of the Government.

The socio-economic development of women is deeply intertwined and if one dimension remains absent, the outcome would suffer. The Mission, with its objective of ensuring that the benefits of schemes and programmes of the Central, as well as of State Governments, reach their intended beneficiaries through convergence and coordination, gives me hope that it will bridge this gap between "what is" and "what ought to be". But in order to make this a reality, the Central Government, States, and civil society would need to work together. Every citizen of this country has a role to play in making it successful. I would regard this Mission as a gift to the women of the country, on the occasion of International Women's Day.

As the first woman President of India, there is a natural empathy that I have for the women of our country. I am conscious about the constraints and difficulties that they face in realizing their full potential. However, time and again, we have been witness to the strength that women have demonstrated in the face of adversities. It is their ability to face difficulties, and persist with attempts to be self independent that is admirable. Louisa May Alcott, an American woman writer, who was also an advocate for women's suffrage, wrote in the 19th Century that, "I am not afraid of storms, for I'm learning to sail my ship." It is in this spirit and for charting a further course on women's empowerment that we are all here today. Their empowerment is necessary and that can only come through health, education and economic development.

It is only when we spread education and skill development among women that they can be agents of economic and social growth. I call for a special focus on implementation of education programmes for women and the girl child as tools of empowerment. It should be scrupulously ensured that necessary incentives for the girl child to go to school are extended. It is also important that necessary skills are imparted to women under our national skill building efforts in all sectors.

Legislative and administrative initiatives to empower our women are necessary and important, but not enough. We also need a fundamental change in our mindsets. We need a new social reform movement, for gender equality and empowerment of our women - a movement that changes society's attitude towards women. Grassroots women's movements can be the most vocal champions of women's empowerment. The over 2.2 million Self-Help Women Groups in India, have made a significant impact on the economic empowerment of rural women. They constitute essential partners in programmes for the upliftment of women and need our support as well as encouragement. It should be our endeavour to bring all eligible women under the umbrella of Self Help Groups, to facilitate their economic empowerment. In this context, I would also like to suggest that Women's Self Help Groups, particularly those comprising the BPL category, are provided credit at reasonable rates of interest, in any case not exceeding 4 percent per annum, to make them viable and successful.

The annual Stree Shakti Puraskars on the occasion of International Women's Day are to honour the achievements and personal triumphs of women, who have contributed meaningfully to various fields. I am happy to join them in the celebration of their achievements and congratulate them. I urge the women of this country to believe in themselves; every mother must also encourage her daughter, so that the impulses of growth and confidence are carried forward. The future beckons a more equitable world for all women of this country. Indeed, the future of this country lies in an equitable society, where all have equal opportunities.

In conclusion, I convey my best wishes to the Ministry of Women and Child Development. Now that the National Mission for Empowerment of Women has been launched, work must begin in earnest to make it a success.

Thank You.

Jai Hind.