Recently, on International Women’s Day 2022, the Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), launched a Special Entrepreneurship Promotion Drive for Women – “SAMARTH.” This initiative is part of the government’s effort to address gender-related development issues; advancing women’s roles in the economy and society is at the heart of this commitment.
Understanding the SAMARTH Initiative
The SAMARTH initiative provides aspiring and existing women entrepreneurs with several benefits. These include a 20% allocation of seats in free Skill Development Programs organised under the Ministry’s skill development schemes. Similarly, 20% of MSME Business Delegations sent to domestic and international exhibitions will be dedicated to women-owned MSMEs.
In addition, women-owned MSMEs will receive a 20% discount on the annual processing fee for National Small Industries Corporation’s (NSIC) Commercial Schemes. The NSIC is a Government of India Enterprise under the Ministry of MSME. The initiative also encourages the registration of women-owned MSMEs under Udyam Registration.
In the fiscal year 2022-23, the Ministry is aiming to provide Skill Development and Market Development Assistance to more than 7500 women candidates from rural and suburban areas. Thousands of women will also gain marketing opportunities to showcase their products in domestic and international exhibitions.
International Women’s Day: A Brief Overview
International Women’s Day, celebrated annually on March 8th, recognises women’s achievements and raises awareness about women’s equality. It was first celebrated by Clara Zetkin, a German, in 1911, but it wasn’t until 1913 that the celebrations were moved to March 8th. The United Nations first celebrated International Women’s Day in 1975 and later adopted a resolution proclaiming a UN Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace. The 2022 theme is ‘Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow’.
Data Relating to Women
The UN notes that legal restrictions prevent 2.7 billion women from accessing the same choice of jobs as men. As of 2019, less than 25% of parliamentarians worldwide were women. One in three women experience gender-based violence. The 2019 data from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) indicates that female labour force participation in India was 20.5%, compared to males at 76%.
Safeguards for Women in India
India’s constitution guarantees all Indians the right to equality, no discrimination by the State based on gender, and special provisions in favour of women. The constitution also imposes a fundamental duty on every citizen to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women. Legislation affirms these protections, such as the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, and the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act, 2013.
World Conferences on Women
The UN has organised four global conferences on women, focusing on gender equality and women’s empowerment. The most significant of these was the 4th World Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995, which resulted in the Beijing Declaration. This document sets strategic objectives for advancing women and achieving gender equality in various areas of concern, including health, power and decision-making, and the environment.