Gender equality of rural women a key driver of inclusive growth: India

India has said that gender equality and emancipation of rural women is a key driver of inclusive growth in the country, with discourse on women's empowerment progressing from viewing women as recipients of welfare benefits to engaging them as active agents of change.

"As one of the fastest growing economies of the world today, India is uniquely placed to deliver on its commitments to inclusive and sustainable development," Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Women and Child

Development in India Chetan Sanghi said in his statement to the 62nd Session of Commission on Status of Women here on Thursday.

"Gender equality and emancipation of rural women is recognised as a key driver of inclusive growth and social progress in India," he added. Sanghi cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks that India is moving from women development to women-led development, and said that "the discourse on women's empowerment is progressing from viewing women as recipients of welfare benefits to mainstreaming their concerns and engaging as partners and active agents of change in social, economic, cultural and political processes."

He further stressed that while significant improvements have been achieved in the lives and well-being of women globally over the past few decades, rural women across the world continue to face multiple and intersecting challenges.