Empowering Women for a Safe, Self-Reliant, and Modern Society: Lessons from Indian President Droupadi Murmu

Droupadi Murmu, the President of India, expressed that achieving the objective of building a self-sufficient and modern India requires the empowerment of daughters with self-reliance and confidence.

The President attended the inauguration of an All Women Bike Rally organized by Navbharat Times in New Delhi and conveyed in her recorded message that women have accomplished exceptional feats with their unwavering courage and skills, despite facing various constraints and obstacles.

President Murmu stressed that if women are secure, their families and society are secure as well. She stated that the Constitution of India obligates every citizen to refrain from any act that violates the dignity of women.

Furthermore, the President urged all mothers and sisters to instill in their sons and brothers the importance of respecting women. She also emphasized that teachers hold a responsibility in fostering a culture of respect and sensitivity towards women among their students.

One can borrow the following ideas from this:

1. Empowering women leads to a self-reliant and modern society – President Murmu stated that achieving the goal of building a self-sufficient and modern India requires empowering daughters with self-reliance and confidence. This idea is supported by research that shows that investing in women’s education, health, and economic opportunities can lead to significant benefits for families, communities, and countries (World Bank, 2011). For example, a study in Uganda found that increasing women’s participation in the labor force resulted in higher agricultural productivity and improved child nutrition (Kabeer, 2010).

2. Safety of women is essential for the safety of society – The President emphasized that if women are secure, their families and society are secure as well. This idea is supported by research that shows that violence against women has significant social and economic costs, including reduced productivity and increased healthcare costs (World Health Organization, 2013). For example, a study in the United States estimated that intimate partner violence costs the country over $8 billion annually in healthcare costs alone (Bonomi et al., 2009).

3. Importance of education and awareness – The President urged mothers, sisters, and teachers to instill in their sons and brothers the importance of respecting women and to foster a culture of respect and sensitivity towards women among their students. This idea is supported by research that shows that education and awareness-raising initiatives can help change attitudes towards women and reduce gender-based violence (Jewkes et al., 2015). For example, a study in India found that a school-based program that addressed gender norms and violence led to a significant reduction in the prevalence of physical and sexual violence among students (Barker et al., 2007).

These ideas can be helpful to other countries as well, as they highlight the importance of empowering women, ensuring their safety, and promoting education and awareness-raising initiatives. By adopting these ideas, countries can promote gender equality and reduce gender-based violence, leading to more prosperous and peaceful societies.


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