The Guntur Municipal Corporation (GMC) received the 4th Gender Equality Mobilisation (GEM) Award on 24 April 2026. The award was presented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in Vienna during the International Day of Women in Industry 2026 celebrations on 22 April 2026.
UNIDO And GEM Award
UNIDO is a specialised agency of the United Nations established in 1966 and headquartered in Vienna, Austria. The Gender Equality Mobilisation (GEM) Award is linked to UNIDO’s work on gender mainstreaming in industrial and urban development projects.
Project Features In Guntur
GMC was recognised for a project that combined women’s employment with waste management. The initiative deployed more than 200 women, earlier engaged in informal waste collection, as electric auto drivers for door-to-door garbage collection in Guntur.
Sustainable Cities Integrated Approach Pilot
The women were identified, trained, and formally employed under UNIDO’s Sustainable Cities Integrated Approach Pilot (SCIAP). SCIAP is a city-level programme that integrates urban services, resource efficiency, and local employment in municipal systems.
Electric Mobility And Urban Sanitation
The project uses electric vehicles for waste collection and operates as a zero-emission waste management model. Electric autos are battery-powered vehicles and are used in several Indian cities for short-distance urban transport and municipal services.
Women In Urban Sanitation
Urban sanitation in India includes door-to-door waste collection, segregation, transport, and processing under municipal systems. The participation of women in sanitation work is linked to self-employment, formal labour access, and urban service delivery. The award was received on behalf of GMC by Olga Rataj, Sustainable Cities Project Manager and Industrial Development Officer, at the Vienna ceremony. Former Finnish President Tarja Halonen and senior UNIDO officials were present at the event.
Last Modified: April 25, 2026