International Women’s Day Special: The Inspirational Story of Odisha’s Women Empowerment Initiatives

Bhubaneswar: The United Nations has given the theme for this year’s International Women’s Day as “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress”. Any investment in the development of women will lead to overall progress of the society. An equitable society is possible when women get their right share of recognition and support. In a male dominated world, women have always been given a secondary status in the familial and social hierarchy. But the time has changed today. Thanks to the leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Odisha today has transformed the society where the status of women has changed. With real intentions and pragmatic interventions, Odisha has brought them to the forefront of progress. People are changing and so the mindset is changing. Women no more treated as secondary. They are now leading from the front. They are playing an impartment role in nation building and economic development of the state as a whole. All this is possible because of the farsighted and progressive efforts of the government of Odisha in the last 24 years.

An apt reflection of this year’s theme for International Women’s Day 2024 can be seen in Odisha. Odisha today is investing in women and looking at an accelerated progress of the state. Women empowerment in true sense is happening in Odisha thanks to various government interventions like Mission Shakti.

When it comes to women empowerment and emancipation, unarguably Odisha’s longest serving Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik is a true champion. His path-breaking initiatives like 50 per cent reservation for women in Panchyati Raj institutions, Resolution seeking 33 per cent reservation in legislative assemblies and Parliament, Mission Shakti, Mamata Yojana, girls’ education, hostels for tribal girls, Biju Swastya Kalyan Yojana Smart Health Card, land rights for women under Jaga Mission, school transformation programme, digital initiatives like Mo Seva Kendra, development of rural and sports infrastructure have gone a long way in empowering women in Odisha.

In a country like India, the role of women occupies a significant place in the development of the family and the society at large. The changing characteristics of Indian society with a mix of rural and urban order depend much on the women folk. In each and every sphere, be it economy, education, health or welfare, women are at the center and deserve the best of the encouragement so that there is all round development. State sponsorship to various encouragement programs of women plays an important role in women empowerment.

In India, there are a few programs which deserve to be discussed and debated for their contribution to women empowerment and thereby social change. One such initiative is the flagship program of the Government of Odisha, Mission Shakti that has become a revolution in the state.

Mission Shakti has shown the world that successful women empowerment has the trickle down impact on the economy, livelihood, social development, healthcare and education of the state. The state has the distinction of having more than 70 lakh self help group (SHG) members supported by Mission Shakti. From a humble beginning in the year 2001, Mission Shakti today has become a force to be reckoned with. After more than two decades, the humble beginning has become a revolution today and brought under its ambit more than 7 million women. This flagship programme of the government of Odisha for women empowerment has successfully achieved its goal of empowering the women of the state by providing them gainful activities in various socio-economic sectors. Mission Shakti, with its multi-pronged approach to the strategies for making women self-sufficient has been able to improve the economic condition of lakhs of families and thereby the state’s economy also.

The Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) Health Smart Card is yet another path-breaking initiative towards the health and wellbeing of the women in the State. It is the first of its kind health assurance scheme in the country that provides annual health coverage of Rs. 5 lakh per family member and additional Rs. 5lakh for the women members of the family.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has always emphasized on the education of girls. In his worlds, “When you educate a girl child, you educate a nation. That’s why CM Naveen Patnaik has always emphasized and encouraged education of girls”. Participation of women in technical education and further employment in industries has been a priority area of the State Government. The schemes like Sudakshya have helped to increase enrolment of girls in ITIs. The ongoing ambitious 5T High School Transformation programme, that eliminates the differences between the schools in the city and the villages, has filled a sense of confidence in the students to dream big and to take lead in all sectors, learn about new technologies, dream big and move forward in life with confidence.

Similarly, Jaga Misison, which is acclaimed as the World’s largest slum land settlement programme, has immensely benefited women living in urban slums to get land titles. The women in Odisha have excelled in sports arena and made the State proud with their achievements at the national and international sporting events. It has been possible due to the constant support and encouragement to the women sportsperson by the State Government along with massive sports infrastructure development.

During election times, most of the political parties in their manifestos repeatedly speak about women empowerment, but somewhere when it comes to walking the talk, there is a deafening silence. But, for Odisha Chief Minister and his party Biju Janata Dal are always true to their words and sincerely fulfil what they have promised for women empowerment and gender responsive governance in the State, which has been well acknowledged by the United Nations. Naveen kept his promise of giving tickets to 33 percent women in Parliamentary elections in the 2019 elections. At the national level, the Naveen-led party has been relentlessly striving for 33 per cent reservation in the Lok Sabha by initiating an effort to bringing in a consensus among all political parties of the country.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has said that women empowerment is something that is very close to his heart. During an interaction with the women, Naveen said “I have always said and I strongly believe that without the empowerment of our mothers, no society, state or country can ever progress. Women empowerment is not a slogan for us but the mantra of progress and development”.

Indeed it is a happy fact that today our Odisha mothers have been empowered. Their role is visible in all spheres of development. They are now equal partners in the development of Odisha. They are taking leadership in the villages and looking after the development of Panchayats”, he said.