The W20 inception meeting aims at empowering women from all sections of society, in all spheres of life by attracting aggressive participation of women in the development of India.
To apprise about the two-day W20 inception meeting to be held in the city on February 27 and 28, a press conference was organised by the chair W20 Dr Sandhya Purecha, chief coordinator W20 secretariat Dharitri Patnaik and additional director general (Press Information Bureau) Smita Vats Sharma, on Sunday afternoon.
Dr Purecha said, "The W20 meeting is of women, for women and by women. This is a women’s engagement group that comprises non-governmental delegates, who have been engaged in the task of women and child development (in their respective countries) for many years.
In all, W'20 will have three meetings in India (including in Aurangabad and Jaipur) and will prepare a conclusive report to be submitted to leaders of G20 countries by July or August. The report will help in framing policies for the uplift and empowerment of women in their respective countries."
Women-led development
"W20 is the voice of women. It does not want women's development but encourages women-led development. Hence, W'20 has identified five key areas (which are common on national and global levels) that we think there is a need to work on strategically in the future. Women play an important role in society, their voices should be heard as well as her active participation is the need of the hour," stressed Dr Purecha, who takes pride in being a Mumbaikar.
Galli to Dilli
Patnaik pointed out, "W20 is the campaign for a cause. It is a dedicated platform for women. Empowerment of women in totality is the need of the hour. Hence, the aim is to promote stakeholders from every society. To be precise their voices (issues) of 'Galli will be taken up to 'Dilli (Delhi)."
Lack of info
"We have observed that lack of information has sealed the progress and prosperity of women, especially of the ones hailing from rural places. They strive to stand on their feet and become self-reliant. Many of them are not even aware of the schemes of the government meant for their empowerment. The W20 aims at informing them, educate them and recommend capacity-building programmes so that they could develop an affinity with the technology in the digital era and do not lag behind in achieving desired goals," explained Patnaik.