Skill training for women in remote areas soon

The state government is planning to start a livelihood programme for women in remote areas. The programme will be undertaken in association with Padma Shree awardee Runa Banerji and her Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) team.

Juhie SIngh, chairperson, State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, will be taking the livelihood project further. She said the plan was to utilise SEWA expertise in order to train a large number of women in tailoring, embroidery, stitching, etc.

“Since the association has been empowering women for decades, its expertise would help us take the project forward. As per plan, SEWA methodology will be adopted to impart training to women in large numbers. Mentors trained by SEWA would also be made an integral part of the programme. Women groups will be created in remote areas of the state and training will be imparted to women by skilled persons,” she added.

Runa Banerji said they we re still trying to work out the plan. “Once things are finalised, we would move ahead with training,” she added.

It may be noted that Runa Banerji, while receiving the judge’s choice award at the HT Woman award function held on April 16, had volunteered to assist any group or organisation with her expertise in training and motivating women. It was only after this that the state government approached her with the project.

Juhie Singh, who has already had a preliminary meeting with Banerji, said: “The chief minister wants women in rural areas across UP to be skilled so that they can earn their livelihood. Since SEWA has already empowered so many women, it has been selected as a torch-bearer.”

Banerji has got women artisans their share in the market and freed them from exploitation at hands of middlemen. She founded SEWA, an autonomous organisation of chikan artisans, in 1984.