Women’s education, self-reliance can make India a developed nation: LS Speaker

Tirupati, Sep 14 (IANS) Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Sunday said that India will become an inclusive and developed nation only when women become educated and self-reliant. 

Inaugurating the first-ever National Conference of the Committees on Empowerment of Women of Parliament and State/UT Legislatures here, he emphasised that women-led development, anchored in the empowerment of women and the welfare of children, is the foundation of India’s vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047.

The two-day Conference with the theme ‘Women-led Development for Viksit Bharat’ and a special focus on ‘Gender Responsive Budgeting’ and ‘Empowering Women to Face Challenges of Emerging Technologies’, is being attended by representatives from more than 20 states.

The deliberations will centre on strengthening women’s leadership, enhancing participation in governance, ensuring inclusive policies, and advancing the vision of an India where women are not only beneficiaries but also principal architects of national development.

Om Birla noted that the conference represented a landmark moment in India’s democratic journey. Such conferences, he said, play a crucial role in the exchange of thoughts and experiences, paving the way for inclusive policy-making.

It has brought together lawmakers, policymakers, and women leaders from across the country to collectively chart strategies for women’s leadership, equality, and inclusion in every sphere of life.

The Speaker highlighted that the Tirupati Conference sends a clear and powerful message that women’s empowerment and child welfare are not peripheral issues but the very foundation of national progress. With its focus on women’s leadership from Panchayats to Parliament, on inclusive laws and policies, and on economic independence for every woman, the conference marks a decisive step in realising the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047, he said.

Om Birla stressed that women’s empowerment is not a one-time initiative but a continuous process requiring comprehensive policies that address the needs of women at every stage of life. He stressed the need to ensure women’s participation from Panchayats to Parliament, stating that increasing the presence of women in policy-making and law-making institutions will help address the challenges and barriers that women have historically faced.

As India enters the Amrit Kaal, Nari Shakti is emerging as an unstoppable force leading the nation towards strength and inclusivity, he stated.

The strength, leadership, and participation of women across every sphere of national life are not only matters of equity but also the bedrock of inclusive and sustainable growth, he said. As India advances rapidly in education, science, governance, technology, entrepreneurship, and innovation, the role and secure future of women will determine the pace and character of national progress, he further said.

He noted that Indian women are excelling in every field—from space exploration to science and technology, from sports to literature, and from local governance to national leadership. India has had women Presidents, Prime Ministers, Chief Ministers, Governors, Speakers, and legislators, which is a matter of great pride and a reflection of the nation’s commitment to women’s leadership, Om Birla observed.

In this context, the Speaker described the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam as a historic constitutional reform giving institutional shape to this transformation. He recalled with pride that it was the first Bill passed in the new Parliament building, ensuring reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies. This landmark law goes beyond symbolism, securing women their rightful place in governance and preparing a new generation of women leaders to shape the nation’s future.

He also noted that Committees on Empowerment of Women at both national and state levels function in a non-partisan manner and play a critical role in closely scrutinising laws, policies, and schemes to ensure inclusivity and effectiveness. Their recommendations, he said, must ensure that even the last woman and the last child in the remotest corners of the country have access to health, education, technology, and opportunities for growth.

The inaugural session was attended by Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha, Harivansh Narayan Singh; Chairperson, Parliamentary Committee on Empowerment of Women, D. Purandeswari; Speaker, Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly, C. Ayyannapatrudu; and Chairman, Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council, Koyye Moshenu Raju; Ministers of the Government of Andhra Pradesh, Members of the Legislative Assembly and Council and Chairpersons and Members of Committees on Empowerment of Women from Parliament and State/UT Legislatures.

--IANS

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