New York [US], March 17 (ANI): Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani on Wednesday said that India has been at the forefront of uplifting and empowering women at the socio-economic and political front while addressing the 66th session of the United Nations Commission on Status of Women (UNCSW).

"India is witnessing a rapid transition from women's development to women-led development, we have developed a multi-pronged approach in our strategy under the leadership of our honorable Prime Minister," Irani said in her address.

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The Minister highlighted several aspects of the socio-economic and political status of women in India, giving various statistics related to female literacy, sex ratio, female ownership of land, houses, and bank accounts, and also political participation of women in parliament.

"We are firmly committed to eliminating all forms of discrimination, disadvantages, and violence against women. This is the fundamental framework that underpins our development story in which women's agency and leadership plays a key role in the realization of our aspiration of an 'Atmanirbhar Bharat', that is an India that is self-reliant, not just for our own sake, but in the interest of the global community in the post-COVID world," the minister said.

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Irani also paid homage to female healthcare workers and scientists for their major role in handling the COVID-19 pandemic in India.

"I pay homage to the service and resilience of over 6 million Indian female frontline workers who have protected our communities during the pandemic and Indian female scientists who have immensely contributed to the development of the vaccine and test kits in India," she said.

She further highlighted the steps being taken by the Indian government to facilitate gender equality in India.

"The government of India has taken various steps to ensure that women in India are educationally, socially, economically and politically lifted," Irani said while citing steps like the introduction of a Gender Inclusion Fund under the New Education Policy (NEP), provisions in the new labour codes to promote female employment and encouraging female participation in previously unconventional sectors like mining and defence.

The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. It is a functional commission of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and was established on June 21, 1946. (ANI)

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