India Highlights Women’s Empowerment Successes At Abuja International Women’s Day Event

Ms Vartika Rawat, India’s Acting High Commissioner to Nigeria, highlighted India’s significant progress in women’s empowerment during an International Women’s Day (IWD) celebration at the Indian High Commission in Abuja on Saturday.

Rawat emphasised the positive impact of India’s support for women’s empowerment initiatives, both in India and around the world.

Rawat’s address emphasised India’s impressive representation of women in various sectors.

She proudly announced that India has the world’s highest proportion of female pilots, with 1,767 women accounting for roughly 15% of the country’s 11,775 pilots – a figure that far exceeds the global average of 5-6%.

Rawat also emphasised India’s commitment to gender equality, pointing out that women make up approximately 36% of the country’s IT workforce.

Rawat also emphasised the critical role of Indian women in combating the COVID-19 pandemic, claiming that more than 6 million female frontline workers helped fight the virus.

She also praised Indian women scientists’ contributions to developing a COVID-19 vaccine in record time, as well as their critical role in the success of India’s space missions to Mars and the Moon.

The significant representation of women in Indian politics was also highlighted, with over 1.45 million (46%) women elected representatives in Panchayati Raj Institutions, exceeding the mandated 33%.

Rawat explained that India’s approach to women’s empowerment focuses on improving women’s social, economic, and political status to ensure equality and dignity.

This strategy includes initiatives promoting education, healthcare, and economic independence, as well as strong legal frameworks to combat gender-based violence, workplace discrimination, and inequality.

The Acting High Commissioner concluded by emphasising India’s commitment to empowering women domestically and internationally.