{"id":46694,"date":"2025-07-02T19:13:22","date_gmt":"2025-07-02T13:43:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=46694"},"modified":"2025-07-11T19:49:52","modified_gmt":"2025-07-11T14:19:52","slug":"using-tech-to-empower-women-and-children","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/02-07-2025\/using-tech-to-empower-women-and-children","title":{"rendered":"Using Tech to Empower Women and Children"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS1\/ Social Issue, GS2\/ Governance, Welfare Schemes, E-governance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>In Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The editorial highlights the significant role of technology in integrating and empowering various initiatives under the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) in India.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>This digital transformation aligns with the government&#8217;s vision of a<strong> &#8220;digitally empowered India&#8221;<\/strong> and the broader goal of <strong>&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/19-04-2025\/viksit-bharat-developed-india-by-2047\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/19-04-2025\/viksit-bharat-developed-india-by-2047\">Viksit Bharat@2047<\/a>&#8220;.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key Dimensions of the Transformation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Digital Public Infrastructure and Real-Time Governance:&nbsp;<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The<strong> Poshan Tracker<\/strong> enables real-time data entry, performance monitoring, and evidence-based policy interventions across Anganwadi centres, streamlining record-keeping and reducing manual errors.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Anganwadi workers <\/strong>are equipped with smartphones and trained in digital tools, ensuring last-mile delivery and monitoring of services.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Modernisation of Anganwadi Centres:&nbsp;<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>Saksham Anganwadi initiative <\/strong>aims to upgrade over 2 lakh centres with smart infrastructure and digital devices, enhancing the quality of nutrition, healthcare, and pre-school education.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Targeted Welfare and Financial Inclusion:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/pradhan-mantri-matritva-vandana-yojana-pmmvy\/\">Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)<\/a><\/strong> uses a fully digital, Aadhaar-based system for registration and benefit transfers, ensuring transparency and reducing leakages.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The use of facial recognition in the Supplementary Nutrition Programme further minimises the risk of ineligible beneficiaries receiving support.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Women\u2019s Safety and Legal Empowerment:&nbsp;<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>SHe-Box portal <\/strong>provides a single-window online platform for lodging and tracking complaints of sexual harassment at the workplace, ensuring timely redressal.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Mission Shakti<\/strong> dashboard and app connect women in distress to the nearest support centre, integrating assistance and improving response times.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Child Protection and Adoption Ecosystem:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>CARINGS portal<\/strong> streamlines and digitises the adoption process, making it more transparent and accessible.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mission Vatsalya dashboard and platforms by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights enable better monitoring of child care institutions and rights violations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tangible Outcomes:&nbsp;<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Sex Ratio at Birth improved from 918 (2014-15) to 930 (2023-24).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Maternal Mortality Rate declined from 130 (2014-16) to 97 per 1,000 births (2018-20).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Over 10.14 crore beneficiaries (pregnant women, lactating mothers, children under six, adolescent girls) are registered on the Poshan Tracker.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Strengths<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Transparency and Accountability<\/strong>: Digital systems reduce corruption and leakages by enabling direct benefit transfers and real-time monitoring.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Inclusivity:<\/strong> Technology bridges the urban-rural divide, ensuring that even remote populations have access to government services.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Empowerment: <\/strong>Women and children are not just recipients but are positioned as potential leaders and change-makers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Challenges<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Digital Literacy: <\/strong>Older Anganwadi workers may struggle with new technology, preferring traditional record-keeping methods.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Language Barriers: <\/strong>Software interfaces often default to English, which may not be accessible for all frontline workers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Technical Limitations: <\/strong>Issues like lack of auto-update or delete options in the Poshan Tracker can hinder data accuracy and correction.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Infrastructure Gaps: <\/strong>Reliable internet and electricity are still inconsistent in some rural areas.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Way Forward<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Capacity Building<\/strong>: Continuous training for Anganwadi workers in local languages.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>User-Centric Design<\/strong>: Customising digital tools to be more intuitive and regionally adaptable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Infrastructure Investment: <\/strong>Ensuring robust digital and physical infrastructure in rural areas.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Feedback Mechanisms:<\/strong> Regularly updating digital platforms based on user feedback from the ground.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Daily Mains Practice Question<\/strong><br><strong>[Q] <\/strong>Discuss how the integration of digital technology in the Ministry of Women and Child Development\u2019s programmes has transformed service delivery and empowerment outcomes for women and children in India.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: TH<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/UPSC-Editorial-Analysis-2-July-2025.PDF.pdf\">Download PDF<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The editorial highlights the significant role of technology in integrating and empowering various initiatives under the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) in India.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-46694","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-editorial-analysis"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46694","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46694"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46694\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":47829,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46694\/revisions\/47829"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46694"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46694"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46694"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}