President Droupadi Murmu said that Women’s empowerment is not a charitable mission, but a roadmap to a country’s progress. She said that without Women’s empowerment, no nation can ensure economic development and prosperity for all its citizens. Sharing her thoughts on the occasion of International Women’s Day in a national magazine, President Murmu recalled significant moments such as the sortie on the Sukhoi fighter aircraft and the signing of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam that proposes 33 percent reservation for women in all legislative bodies. She hailed the pace with which the country is moving towards the goal of gender justice and gender equality. Gathering from her interactions with a cross-section of society over the years, the President expressed confidence that the Indian woman is moving ahead with confidence. She lauded the women who are spearheading leadership positions in various fields including Science, Army, Sports, Education, Start-ups, and Sports.
Hailing the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, President Murmu said that when India celebrates the centenary of independence, this revolutionary Act will have contributed most to making it a developed nation in the true sense. She expressed concern that historically, humankind has displayed a pernicious prejudice against women. Highlighting the inherent prejudice reflected through language, President Murmu recalled renowned woman activist, Hansaben Mehta’s effort to change the Constitutional language as a member of the Constituent Assembly. She called upon society to make every effort to make it a little less difficult for women to move ahead in life. Underscoring the significant role of women in the Indian Freedom Struggle, President Murmu said that there was no gender discrimination at all about who could vote as well as who could contest during the first elections which was in sharp contrast to other democracies. President Murmu emphasized that every day should be celebrated as Women’s Day in the spirit of “yes, we can and we will.”
