Message

Chair's message

Shweta Singh

A famous saying that is very close to my heart was said by Shri.Abdul Kalam-

“Empowerment of women leads to the development of a good family, good society and, ultimately, a good nation.”

In India, to empower the women, first it needs to kill all the demons killing women’s rights and values in the society such as dowry system, illiteracy, sexual harassment, inequality, female infanticide, domestic violence against women, rape, prostitution, illegal trafficking and other issues. Gender discrimination in the nation brings cultural, social, economic and educational differences which push country back. The most effective remedy to kill such devils is making women empowered by ensuring the Right to Equality mentioned in the Constitution of India.

Situation of women in rural areas is more miserable than their counterparts living in urban spaces. It has been widely prevalent that the women are mostly deprived of an equal status vis-a-vis men and thus they remain as passive beneficiaries in the societies in these countries. They remain powerless, due to their less participation and involvement in the generation of resources critical for development. Therefore, women must become active partners with men, if the goal of women empowerment is desired to be achieved in totality.

Women empowerment is not about how many women have been or are Presidents, Prime Minister or CEOs of companies.It is about how our society and the men in our society perceive and treat women at home and at public places and the respect that they have within their heart. It is about respecting a human being and not the gender.

At WIEF our vision of creating one of its own kind of entrepreneurial ecosystem for women, where their skills and entrepreneurial qualities can be dug out and enhanced. Our aim is to start from India and slowly capture the global ecosystem. We have wide range of programmes for the entrepreneurs and skilled force to Identify and Enable them to be financially independent with strong determination.

I’m no sage from the stage and I don’t have all the answers. But my commitment is to bring you the very best of what I’m living and learning, and keep it real and honest as I go.

Shweta Singh

Founder & CEO

Women Innovation & Entrepreneurship Foundation (WIEF)

Director's Message

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As India strives toward equal rights, a change in the perceptions of men and women
is needed to reduce gender disparity.

In simple terms, empowerment means giving power or authority to an individual.
Women in Indian society have come a long way from the days of being worshipped
as goddesses to being molested and harassed—gruesome domestic violence cases,
acid attacks and rapes.

Statistics pertaining to crimes against women have been comprehensively recorded
and collated by the National Crimes Records Bureau under various headlines such as
trafficking, dowry deaths and rapes. These statistics are alarming. It is imperative for
all Indians to tackle these problems and improve initiatives and legislation that
empower women and girls.

It is crucial to sensitize men and boys at a young age, so they become an integral
part in bringing about a transformation on women empowerment in Indian
society. When men start respecting women and accepting them as equals, a lot
of gender-based inequalities will reduce considerably. Hence, the efforts put
forth by the public and private sectors have to be complemented with gender
sensitization initiatives.

A gradual change is now visible in modern-day India, and this can be seen in large
cities. Women now have diverse professions as doctors, engineers, entrepreneurs, pilots, taxi drivers and police officers. They have found employment in fields that have been traditionally considered male-dominated.

Though women have outshined in every field, they still face discrimination at almost every level of employment. Gender bias is evident from the lack of workplace promotions to lack of basic sanitation facilities for female drivers in India.

Even though Indian women face numerous hurdles and challenges, it has not
deterred their confidence and enthusiasm to bring about a powerful social change. They are forging a new path toward achieving social and economic empowerment.

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