From women in panchayats, message for Parliament, Pg15

Key Highlights:

• Puspanjali Bhuyan, a sarpanch in Odisha, empowered women in her village to address issues like violence and education through a unified voice in the gram sabha.
• The Women-Friendly Gram Panchayat initiative, by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and UNFPA, aims to localize Sustainable Development Goal 5 on gender equality.
• On International Women’s Day 2025, 770 panchayats formally resolved to adopt the initiative.
• A study across 163 villages in 12 states found that women's political reservation increased participation in employment schemes by over 50%.

Detailed Insights:

• The Women-Friendly Gram Panchayat initiative ensures gender equality is integrated into local governance through budgeting, planning, and service delivery.
• Pilot programs in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have expanded to one gram panchayat in every district, showing promising results like the eradication of child marriage in Bihar's Lakhisarai district.
• Gender-responsive budgeting and a rigorous focus on gender equality within the Panchayat Advancement Index are crucial for sustaining progress.
• Initiatives like the Sashakt Panchayat-Netri Abhiyaan and the Panchayat to Parliament initiative are strengthening women's leadership and creating pathways for advancement.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Gram Sabha: A village assembly consisting of all adults in a village.
• Panchayati Raj: A system of local self-government in rural India.
• Gender-Responsive Budgeting: Allocating resources considering the different needs of women and men.