“SAMARTH” Initiative

In News

• On the occasion of International Women’s Day 2022, the Union Minister for MSME along with the Minister of State for MSME launched a Special Entrepreneurship Promotion Drive for Women -“SAMARTH”.

Special Entrepreneurship Promotion Drive for Women -“SAMARTH”

• About:
  • Through this initiative, the Ministry of MSME is focusing on providing Skill Development and Market Development Assistance to women.
  • More than 7500 women candidates from rural and sub-urban areas will be trained in the FY 2022-23.
  • Besides, thousands of women will be getting marketing opportunities to showcase their products in domestic and international exhibitions.

• Benefits:
  • 20% Seats in free Skill Development Programs organized under skill development schemes of the Ministry will be allocated for Women. More than 7500 women will be benefitted.
  •  20% of MSME Business Delegations sent to domestic & international exhibitions under the schemes for Marketing Assistance implemented by Ministry will be dedicated to women-owned MSMEs.
  • 20% Discount on annual processing fee on NSIC’s Commercial Schemes
  • Special Drive for registration of women-owned MSMEs under Udyam Registration.

International Labour Organization (ILO) Finding on Women Equality

• Gender equality is still a far cry for India’s female informal workforce.
• More than 95% of India’s working women are informal workers who work in labour-intensive, low-paying, highly precarious jobs/conditions, and with no social protection.
• Women’s informal work is central to the feminisation of poverty.
• Lack of access to quality childcare services forces women workers to leave the labour force, ceasing their earning, and exposing themselves to discriminatory employment practices, and to significant economic and health risks.

Challenges Faced by Women

• Violence (domestic violence, threats of rape, harassment, etc.)
• Gender gap and the digital gender divide
• Informal work and instability
• Lack of better marriage prospects.
• Period poverty and stigma.
• Underrepresentation in politics and leadership roles.
• Patriarchal outlook.
• Stereotypical gender roles.
• Social pressure.

Major Steps taken by India

• The principle of gender equality is enshrined in the Indian Constitution in its Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Fundamental Duties and Directive Principles of State Policy.
  • The Constitution not only grants equality to women but also empowers the State to adopt measures of positive discrimination in favour of women.
• Ratification of Global Initiatives: India has ratified various international conventions and human rights instruments committing to secure equal rights of women.
  • Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 1993.
  • Mexico Plan of Action, 1975.
  • Nairobi Forward-Looking Strategies, 1985.
  • Beijing Declaration as well as the Platform for Action, 1995.
  • Outcome Document adopted by the UNGA Session on Gender Equality and Development and Peace for the 21st century, titled “Further actions and initiatives to implement the Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action”.
• National Commission for Women: It was set up by an Act of Parliament in 1990 to safeguard the rights and legal entitlements of women.
• 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments, 1993: Provided for reservation of seats for women in the local bodies of Panchayats and Municipalities respectively, laying a strong foundation for their participation in decision making at the local levels.
• National Policy For The Empowerment of Women, 2001:
  • It aims to bring about the advancement, development and empowerment of women and the policy is widely disseminated so as to encourage active participation of all stakeholders for achieving the goals.
• Mahila E-haat:
  • It is a direct online marketing platform launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development to support women entrepreneurs, Self Help Groups (SHGs) and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to showcase products made and services rendered by them.
  • This is a part of the ‘Digital India‘ initiative.
• Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojana:
  • It was launched in January 2015, with an aim to generate awareness and also improve the efficiency of welfare services for the girl child.
  • The initial aim of the campaign was to address the declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR) but now includes gender-biased sex-selective eliminations and propagating education, survival, and protection of the girl child.
• Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana:
  • Falling under the ambit of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme, it is a government-backed savings scheme for girl children.
  • The account can be opened at any India Post office or a branch of an authorized commercial bank anytime between the birth of the girl child and till the age of 10 by a parent or guardian.
• Mahila Shakti Kendra:
  • These were launched in 2017 to empower rural women with opportunities for skill development, employment, digital literacy, health and nutrition.
  • These work through community engagement and provide an interface for rural women to approach the government to avail of their entitlements through training and capacity building.
  • These work at the National, State, District, and Block levels.
• Working Women Hostel:
  • The objective of the scheme is to promote the availability of safe and conveniently located accommodation for working women.
  • These have daycare facilities for their children and are located wherever possible, in urban, semi-urban, or even rural areas where employment opportunities for women exist.
• Support to Training and Employment Programme for Women (STEP):
  • It was set up to provide skills to women so that they can take up gainful employment.
  • It also provides the right competencies and training for women to become entrepreneurs.
  • Open to every woman above the age of 16, it is run through a grant given to an institution/organization including NGOs directly.
• One-Stop Centre Scheme:
  • It was implemented in April 2015 with the ‘Nirbhaya‘ fund and is popularly known as ‘Sakhi’.
  • Established at various locations in India for providing shelter, police desk, legal, medical and counseling services to victims of violence under one roof integrated with a 24-hour toll-free helpline (181).
• Swadhar Greh:
  • It was launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in 2002.
  • It aims for the rehabilitation of women in difficult circumstances.
  • Beneficiaries: Widows deserted by their families and relatives, women prisoners released from jail and without family support, women survivors of natural disasters, women victims of terrorist/extremist violence, etc.
  • The implementing agencies are mainly NGOs.
• Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017:
  • India is ahead of many advanced nations in instituting maternal health benefits, and its statutory maternity leave is among the global top three.
  • The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017 more than doubled the duration of paid maternity leave for women employees to 26 weeks, proposing an option to work from home after this period, on mutual agreement with the employer, and made crèche facilities mandatory for establishments employing 50 or more women.
  • However, these benefits are mostly enjoyed by formal sector women workers, constituting less than 5% of the women workforce.
• Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS):
  • The primary mandate of the Anganwadi centres under the ICDS is to provide maternal and child nutritional security, a clean and safe environment, and early childhood education, thus facilitating the ability of women to re-enter work post-childbirth.
• Crèche scheme:
  • The National Creche Scheme lays out specific provisions for working women.
  • Public crèches can be operated at worksite clusters such as near industrial areas, markets, dense low-income residential areas, and labour nakas.
  • Crèches closer to the workplace allow for timely breastfeeding and attending to emergencies.
  • This model has been tested successfully by Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) Sangini in some Indian cities.

Source: TH