Empowered India is Incomplete Without Women’s Empowerment: Vijender Gupta
New Delhi: Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta stated that women’s empowerment is not just a slogan but a collective social responsibility that must be fulfilled together. He emphasized that the vision of a strong India is incomplete without empowered women.
Vijender Gupta was speaking as the chief guest at a three-day event organized by a private university on the occasion of International Women’s Day. During this special event, he shared his thoughts on women’s achievements, their rights, and their role in society.
The Assembly Speaker highlighted that no country can progress without the participation of women. Women are the backbone of society, and without their active involvement, no nation can achieve economic and social strength. Referring to this year’s theme, “Accelerate Action,” he stressed the need for concrete steps to rapidly promote gender equality. He said that this day serves as a reminder to continuously strive for women’s safety, education, employment, and leadership opportunities.
He underlined that Indian women are no longer confined to homes but are now leading in various fields such as education, science, sports, entrepreneurship, politics, and defense. He noted that due to various government initiatives and increasing social awareness, there has been a significant improvement in the status of women. Over the past few years, women’s participation has risen remarkably, indicating that India is making rapid strides toward gender equality.
Vijender Gupta presented statistical data to demonstrate this progress:
In 2014, the sex ratio was 918, which increased to 933 in 2022.
Women’s participation in the labor force was 23% in 2017-18, rising to 42% in 2023-24.
The number of female officers in the Indian Armed Forces has increased 3.5 times since 2015.
Around 48% of startups in India have at least one female director.
Nearly 50% of STEM graduates in India are women, the highest proportion in the world.
These figures reflect that women are now establishing a strong presence in every sector.
Vijender Gupta also discussed the significant steps taken by the government toward women’s empowerment. He pointed out that various government schemes have directly benefited women, strengthening their economic and social standing:
56% of bank accounts opened under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana are in women’s names.
70% of loans under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana have been granted to women entrepreneurs.
More than 10 crore women have received free LPG connections through the Ujjwala Yojana, making their kitchens smoke-free.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, over 4 crore houses have been allotted in sole or joint ownership to women.
The Women’s Reservation Bill has further encouraged female participation in politics.
His address concluded with a call for continued efforts to ensure women’s equal representation in all aspects of society, reaffirming that a truly strong and developed India is only possible when its women are empowered.