Murmu says her life a story of equal opportunities for women

President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday said enhanced women’s participation in the national labour force was key to economic growth even as she underlined safe mobility as a crucial ingredient for women’s empowerment.

Inaugurating a National Conference on the theme ‘Nari Shakti Se Viksit Bharat’ on the International Women’s Day here, Murmu said a better environment for girls to move forward was necessary for realising the dream of a developed India.

She also cited her own life story as one of equal opportunities for women in India.

“Women should get an environment where they can make independent decisions about their lives without pressure or fear. We have to create such an ideal society where no daughter or sister is afraid of going or staying alone anywhere. Only the feeling of respect towards women will create a fear-free social environment,” Murmu said.

She said the confidence that girls would get in such an environment would take the country to greater heights.

Murmu said when India was moving forward with a goal to become the third largest economy of the world, the participation of women in the workforce of the country should increase rapidly.

“Not only in India but also in other countries, one of the reasons for low participation of women in the workforce is the belief that women will take leave to look after their children or will be able to pay less attention to work. But this thinking is not correct,” the President argued.

Urging the society to introspect, she said, “We have to ask ourselves whether the society has any responsibility towards children.”

“We all know that the first teacher in the family is the mother. If a mother takes leave to look after children, then this endeavour of hers is also for the betterment of the society,” she said.

India’s women labour force participation, as per the latest periodic labour force survey, is a paltry 37 per cent as against 73 per cent for males.

Nari Shakti breaking barriers: FM

Ludhiana: “Nari Shakti in India is breaking barriers, rewriting history and shaping a brighter future for the country,” Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Saturday. The minister, in a post on X, said under PM Modi’s transformative policies and initiatives, women are being empowered with equal opportunities, financial independence and a stronger role in nation-building. tns

Reflecting on her own life journey, which was replete with struggles, Murmu said the world was today celebrating the completion of 50 years of International Women’s Day.

“There is no doubt that in this period, the women’s community has made unprecedented progress. I consider my own life journey to be a part of this progress,” said the President recalling her humble beginnings.

Murmu said she was born in a simple family and a backward area of Odisha and yet reached the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

“This is the story of equal opportunities and social justice for women in Indian society. The examples of women’s success will continue to grow,” the President exuded confidence.

“We cannot forget the contribution of eminent personalities like Sarojini Naidu, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, Sucheta Kriplani and Hansaben Mehta, who were members of the Constituent Assembly. There are many such examples where women have not only achieved the highest position by earning fame on the strength of their intelligence, wisdom and knowledge but also increased the prestige of the country and society,” Murmu said.