In response to globalization, there has been a huge increase in economic competition between countries. To gain an advantage, developing and developed countries seek to achieve sustainable and adequate growth, at the heart of which lies the concept of ‘good governance’. It is often referred to as the process of enabling accountability of decision making and how decisions are implemented to tackle the overall development agenda. Since the fundamentals of good governance are focused on the legitimacy and empowerment of all voices, women empowerment is a focal area along with other socio-economic agendas. Good governance brings women empowerment directly by increasing gender participation in decision making through consensus-building and representation. In this context, government institutions have proven their commitment to bridging gender inequality through good governance measures through policies that promote political and socio-economic empowerment of women.
Good Governance in Practice: In early 1992, the 73rd Amendment Act introduced the Panchayati Raj system to ensure people’s participation in rural reconstruction with an emphasis on the welfare of women. The Act introduced reservation for women at least one-third of all seats (including those reserved for scheduled tribe and caste candidates) in village panchayats. Since these rural bodies are considered to be the backbone of democracy at the grassroots, the Act has enabled economic and political empowerment of women as well as facilitating their access to important positions as decision makers for accurate representation of society. demanded. This measure has resulted in more women gaining political positions and holding positions of authority and power at the local and state levels.
Using this empowerment, women leaders empower other women in their communities to gain access to resources. Apart from adopting measures that ensure political empowerment, Indian government institutions have focused more on mainstreaming gender, resulting in the introduction of a National Policy on Empowerment of Women in 2001, followed by a one for women in 2016. A draft policy was prepared. With the objectives of development, empowerment and elimination of all forms of discrimination against women, the importance of enabling socio-economic empowerment lies at the core of the policy. Accordingly, the concept of gender budgeting was introduced by the central government in 2005-06, which was intended to be an institutional exercise. It is a fiscal innovation that transforms gender commitments into budgetary commitments at all stages of policy making. Since 2005, India’s Union Budget has consistently allocated 3% to 5% of its total expenditure proposals for programs that benefit women. In the last budget, 1.53 trillion, around 4.5% of the total outlay, was allocated for women’s development initiatives. Such a practice has prompted nodal ministries and state bodies to create holistic gender-responsive measures to empower women.
Gender inequalities stifle economic progress: even with those budgetary allocations, female labor force participation has declined over the years, largely due to unemployment (lack of skills), perceived wage gaps, under-representation in leadership positions, unpaid care Low digital literacy levels due to working, and women’s participation mainly in the informal sector. Recognizing the need for equitable policies, the government has initiated progressive interventions to provide equal opportunities for women and girls. With the advent of our self-reliant India focus on self-reliant India (especially by women), along with the advent of effective literacy programs like ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’, advocacy of effective political empowerment, integrated services and schemes, the government’s testimony Is. Commitment to empowerment.
While these interventions have brought better opportunities for women, the pertinent question is: what more can be done to enable women empowerment and realize a wholly inclusive society? It is at the heart of the government’s commitment to the cause.
A case for entrepreneurship to help bridge gender inequalities: The answer to the above question makes a compelling case for the need to promote women’s economic empowerment as the missing piece in the puzzle of equality. It is globally recognized that this can result in overall empowerment of women while enabling self-reliance and promoting inclusive economic growth. Research shows that closing the gender gap could add $0.7 trillion to our gross domestic product (GDP) by 2025 (mck.co/3qH0nmk), so enabling this is integral to the country’s economic growth outlook. is the organ.
Thus, the government has recognized that a viable solution to India’s gender inequality challenges lies in creating a significant addition to already existing policies and practices—entrepreneurship. Vocational self-employment enables women to achieve economic independence, reduce dependence on their families for income, and ensure a better future for themselves and their children. Several research studies indicate that women-led businesses are often highly successful and can drive a full boom in economic output by removing significant barriers and beliefs about women in business. For example, an analysis by Boston Consulting Group shows that if women and men around the world participated equally as entrepreneurs, global GDP would eventually rise from about 3% to 6% (on.bcg.com/). 3qGcHDv). To bridge the gender divide in entrepreneurship in India, the government launched the Women’s Entrepreneurship Platform (NITI Aayog), MSME Cluster Development Program and Mudra Yojana, along with other central and state-specific reforms. These strengthen the women entrepreneurship ecosystem through capacity building, incubation and mentoring support to aspiring and established women entrepreneurs.
Since entrepreneurship allows women flexible work schedules, they have management agency over their income and success. The government’s policy response has focused not only on ways to increase the number of women-owned enterprises, but also on tackling market or institutional failures that prevent women from growing their businesses.
Way Forward: Even though steps have been taken in the form of 73rd Amendment and Women Empowerment Policy, the country needs many other good governance measures to catalyze empowerment. The first would be the introduction of specific policies for women entrepreneurship as a tool to achieve economic empowerment of women. Simultaneously, the allocation of funds from the Gender-Budget Fund for Women Entrepreneurship is necessary to encourage women-led businesses. Second, it is imperative for us to involve rural entrepreneurs to bring about change at the grassroots level. For example, the MSME procurement policy of 2018 could be changed to mandate 3-5% of public procurement from small businesses led by women. Furthermore, involving women entrepreneurs in debates about public policy, legislation and regulatory frameworks is essential for making well-informed decisions.
Heena Gavit is a member of the Lok Sabha and the chairperson of the Standing Committee on Women’s Empowerment.
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