India sets up global alliance to push women empowerment, gender equality

In a major breakthrough, India has successfully set up a “Global Alliance for Global Good- Gender Equity and Equality” to push women’s empowerment and gender equality during the 54th Annual Meeting of World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday.

The announcement was made in the presence of the World Economic Forum’s Founder and Executive Chairman Professor Klaus Schwab.

India’s Union Ministers Smriti Irani and Hardeep Puri were also present in a gathering of noted Indian businessmen at a dinner hosted by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

The alliance will bring together global good practices, knowledge sharing and investments in the field of women’s education, health and enterprise.

It has garnered support from global corporate houses like MasterCard, Microsoft and a large number of domestic industry leaders.

Professor Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, praised India’s participation at Davos 2024 and spoke about the country’s success in achieving seven per cent growth annually.

Schwab called India’s story a successful one, said development goes hand in hand with India. “When you look at India, I think development goes hand in hand with India. If I look at support to make India an indigenous powerhouse, it’s just unbelievable…success rate of 7 per cent. We don’t always imagine what it means because if it’s 7 per cent, you double economy every ten years and if you take a generation of 20 years, you quadruple GDP.”

He said this shows how India with its enormous economic growth “will become an economic powerhouse. But the situation is to keep and put emphasis on equality and inclusion.”

The WEF Founder then expressed his gratitude to the forum’s Indian partners. “I would like to thank particularly our Indian partners since you are very strong driver, you are exemplary in terms of engagement.”

“I would like to thank the government because such a strong delegation some weeks before the election, means how much the government is also conducting. And finally, my thanks to CII because since for over 40 years now it has become not only a partnership, it has become a friendship,” he said.

In her address, Union Minister Smriti Irani thanked the World Economic Forum for being a gentle, gracious but very strong support to the Indian industry.

She said: “I stand here today proud that on the streets, as money walks and politics talks, we could bring together the best of industry, enterprise and humanity in the grand alliance. There have been many naysayers for those who spoke up for gender and those who made an economic and a social justice aid for gender.”

“But as Indians today, we are proud to say that Narendra Modi, as prime minister, even in the aftermath of the pandemic, has not only given growth consistently at 7 per cent, not only controlled inflation, which was a decade ago in double digits but also ensured that we as Indians could provide food security for 800 million fellow citizens, could deliver 200 billion vaccine doses and then take a pharmaceutical spectacle to 160 nations that this year 945,000,000 Indians will qualify to vote to bring into government in a democracy which is not only the largest but the oldest in the world,” she said.

The Union Minister said the alliance is dedicated towards an India that is propelled towards a greater future and will leave no one behind.

Speaking to ANI, Minister Smriti Irani said, “In his ten years of administration, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the talented women as the centre point of development”.

She added that Narendra Modi’s development mantra goes with the slogan of “Sabka vikas, sabka vishwas” but the alliance announced today shows “sabka prayas”.

“In two days, the CII, Invest India and our participating businessmen announced that an Indian woman leader has come to Davos for the first time and those who are inspired with PM Modi’s inclusive growth agenda can come forward for investment”, she said by adding that over ten thousand companies have shown their interest.

“The World Economic Forum has been ongoing in Davos for the past five decades where the world’s top business leaders participate. This year, leaders from some 300 countries have participated. The economic powerhouses come here to find newer business opportunities in Davos. Under the guidance of PM Modi, we are able to attract investments in digital infrastructure”, she told ANI.

Irani also said that people are shifting focus towards Biofuel and India has already presented the world’s biggest hydrogen project which has attracted investors.