New York: In a significant step towards advancing women-led development, the Government of India and UN Women co-hosted a Ministerial Roundtable alongside the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The high-level gathering focused on digital and financial inclusion as key drivers of women’s empowerment and leadership across sectors.
The roundtable provided a global platform for sharing strategies and best practices on addressing gender disparities in education, health, and economic autonomy. The event featured discussions on leveraging digital public infrastructure to accelerate women-led development and the critical role of financial inclusion in ensuring economic independence for women. Ministers and high-level representatives from G20 nations, Small Island Developing States, and other countries participated, exchanging insights on how technology can bridge gender gaps and contribute to overall development.
The event began with two short films showcasing the transformative impact of India’s large-scale digital public infrastructure and financial inclusion initiatives on women across different sections of society. Speaking at the first session, Union Minister for Women and Child Development (WCD) Smt. Annpurna Devi highlighted India’s pioneering efforts in using technology for social protection measures. She noted that maternity benefits have been provided to 38 million mothers, while over 100 million women, children, and adolescent girls are being monitored in real time through the POSHAN Tracker. Universal health coverage and social assistance programs have also been designed with a special focus on women’s needs. She emphasized the importance of regulating technology responsibly, ensuring that digital public infrastructure acts as a bridge rather than a barrier for women’s development, echoing the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The second session focused on financial inclusion and investment in women entrepreneurs. Minister Annpurna Devi outlined India’s success in empowering millions of women, from street vendors to agripreneurs to startups, through tailored financial policies and government schemes. She stressed that India not only supports the incubation of new businesses but also nurtures the growth of existing women-led enterprises by ensuring access to necessary financial resources.
Prominent global leaders attended the roundtable, including India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, H.E. Parvathaneni Harish, who elaborated on the impact of India’s Aadhaar ID system in empowering women. Executive Director of UN Women, Ms. Sima Bahous, highlighted how India’s digital financial inclusion initiatives, such as MNREGA digital payments, have significantly boosted women’s employment and autonomy. The discussion also saw contributions from Deputy Executive Director of UN Women Ms. Kirsi Madi and G20 Women Task Force Member Smt. Nayana Sahasrabuddhe.
Ministers from Indonesia, Morocco, Australia, Panama, and Qatar shared their respective countries’ experiences in advancing women’s rights and promoting gender equality. The roundtable reinforced the global commitment to ensuring that digital and financial inclusion efforts remain sustainable, helping drive long-term social and economic transformation for women.
