Equal Participation of Women Key to Development: President Murmu

• President Droupadi Murmu attends national Women’s Day celebration in Delhi
• Says equal participation of women essential for true development
• Highlights rise of women in education, startups, governance and STEM
• Calls for societal change to end discrimination and ensure equality

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 8th March: President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday said that true development can be achieved only when women, who constitute nearly half of the country’s population, participate equally in every sphere of national progress.

The President made the remarks while addressing the national-level International Women’s Day celebration organised by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development in New Delhi.

The event was organised to recognise the achievements and contributions of women across diverse sectors and to reaffirm the country’s commitment to gender equality, safety, dignity and empowerment.

Addressing the gathering, Murmu said women today are playing leading roles in fields such as education, administration, judiciary, defence, medicine, science, technology, arts and entrepreneurship.

She highlighted the growing economic participation of women in rural areas through Self-Help Groups, noting that many women are becoming financially independent and providing leadership in local governance through panchayats.

The President also pointed out that women are increasingly leading initiatives in industry, startups and corporate sectors, while also achieving notable success in sports.

“Such examples inspire confidence that when given opportunities and support, women can achieve excellence in every field,” she said.

Murmu said India is steadily moving toward women-led development, with several policy measures taken over the past decade to remove barriers that have historically limited women’s participation.

She noted that India has achieved gender parity in school education, while the number of women in higher education has increased significantly, particularly in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields.

Referring to the Union Budget 2026–27, the President said provisions have been made to establish women’s hostels in every district to help female students continue their studies in STEM disciplines.

“Our daughters are preparing to take leadership roles in the knowledge economy,” she said.

The President also highlighted that women are increasingly becoming job creators, noting that more than half of the startups supported under the Start-up India initiative have at least one female director.

In addition, over two lakh women-owned micro, small and medium enterprises are currently active on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM).

Murmu said the SHE-Mart initiative announced in the Union Budget will provide improved market access for products made by women in self-help groups and rural communities.

Despite these achievements, she acknowledged that several challenges still remain, including gender discrimination, unequal pay for equal work and domestic violence.

“These issues cannot be resolved by legislation alone. A change in societal mindset is equally important,” she said.

Murmu emphasised that achieving the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047 will require the full participation of women and urged citizens to support girls’ education, ensure women’s safety and eliminate discrimination in society.

She called on people across the country to pledge on International Women’s Day to create an environment where women can pursue their aspirations without fear or discrimination and contribute fully to nation-building.