Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Tuesday emphasised the importance of Kerala’s gender budget in promoting gender-sensitive policies and schemes at G20 EMPOWER (Empowerment and Progression of Women’s Economic Representation) meeting.
Speaking at the G20 EMPOWER meeting, the Minister underlined the increase in the gender budget’s share from 11.5 per cent in 2017-18 to 20.9 per cent in 2022-23 in Kerala. She emphasised her state’s dedication to women’s empowerment and progression in economic representation.
She noted that Kerala’s progress is deeply rooted in empowering society and, more specifically, women. She provided a historical perspective on women’s roles in shaping Kerala’s society, detailing the various social and political changes that have occurred since the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These changes have led to a more inclusive and equitable society.
The minister cited the Kudumbashree program, launched in 1998, as a key factor in empowering women in Kerala.
“As one of the largest networks of women in India, Kudumbashree has successfully promoted entrepreneurship and fostered the devolution of power to Panchayati Raj institutions and communities,” she said.
The minister stressed the continued Kerala government focus on addressing wages, safety, occupational health, and insurance issues for women in various occupational groups.
The importance of the G20 EMPOWER initiative in working towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, she noted.
Speaking on occasion, Dr Sangita Reddy, Chair of G20 EMPOWER and Joint Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals Enterprises, emphasised the importance of empowering women in benefiting society and the economy.
Dr Reddy highlighted the significant gains made by countries that have successfully closed the gender gap in various sectors, such as education, healthcare, job opportunities, and equal wages.
According to her, these countries have experienced a positive ripple effect across all areas of development.
“The advantages of having more women on corporate boards, leading to higher growth rates, improved customer sensitivity, and better bottom lines,” she stressed.
Drawing from her experience at Apollo Hospitals, where 56 per cent of the workforce is female and there is equal board representation, Dr Reddy called for a shift in perspective, stating, “We don’t look at women. We look at the best individual for the job.”
She urged the audience to focus on those women not yet on the stage but who deserve the opportunity to contribute their talents and skills.
The G20 EMPOWER initiative will concentrate on three major themes throughout the year: Education (with a special focus on STEM), leadership at all levels (including grassroots), and women entrepreneurship.
“The unacceptable prediction from the World Economic Forum that it would take 150 years for women to achieve equal participation in the workforce, asserting that women are not willing to wait,” she said.
The World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law 2022 report served as a sobering reminder that 2.4 billion working-age women lack equal economic opportunities, and 86 countries still impose job restrictions on women. The G20 EMPOWER meeting aims to address these disparities and build a brighter future for women worldwide.
Dr MI Sahadulla, Chair, FICCI KESC and Chairman and MD KIMS Hospitals, also spoke on occasion.
“Kerala promoted about 135,000 entrepreneurs in the last year, of which about 20 per cent were women,” he noted.
But, he added, “Of course, we have to catch up and reach that 50 per cent equality level, which we mark as the international benchmark.”