{"id":75748,"date":"2026-06-03T18:18:37","date_gmt":"2026-06-03T12:48:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=75748"},"modified":"2026-06-03T18:40:26","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T13:10:26","slug":"women-led-development-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/03-06-2026\/women-led-development-2","title":{"rendered":"From Welfare to Women-Led Development"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/ Governance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Over the last decade, India has witnessed a paradigm shift from a welfare-oriented approach towards women to a model of women-led development.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is Women-Led Development?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Women-led development goes beyond welfare and empowerment by <strong>placing women at the centre of economic growth,<\/strong> governance, innovation, and decision-making.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It views women not merely as beneficiaries of schemes but as drivers of social and economic transformation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key Pillars of Women-Led Development<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Health, Nutrition and Maternal Care:<\/strong> Schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA), Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY), and Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK) have strengthened maternal and child healthcare.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Maternal Mortality Ratio<\/strong> declined from 130 per lakh live births (2014-15) to <strong>88 (2021-23).<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Institutional deliveries<\/strong> increased from 79% (2015-16) to 90.6% (2023-24).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Mission Indradhanush and Poshan 2.0<\/strong> have expanded immunisation and nutritional support.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Education and Skill Development: Beti Bachao Beti Padhao <\/strong>has improved awareness regarding the survival and education of the girl child.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Samagra Shiksha and Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas<\/strong> have improved girls&#8217; enrolment and retention.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Schemes like <strong>Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY)<\/strong>, and <strong>NAVYA (Nurturing Aspirations through Vocational Training for Young Adolescent Girls) <\/strong>are promoting future-ready skills among girls.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"acd2e8\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"623\" height=\"449\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-12.png\" alt=\"women-led development\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-75750\" style=\"--dominant-color: #acd2e8; width:400px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-12.png 623w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-12-300x216.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 623px) 100vw, 623px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Financial Inclusion and Entrepreneurship:<\/strong><strong>Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana<\/strong> has brought millions of women into the formal banking system.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana<\/strong> has encouraged long-term financial planning for girls.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Women constitute a major share of beneficiaries under <strong>Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"cbd6e0\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"346\" height=\"341\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-11.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-75749\" style=\"--dominant-color: #cbd6e0; width:308px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-11.png 346w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-11-300x296.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 346px) 100vw, 346px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Digital and Economic Empowerment: <\/strong>Women are increasingly participating in digital services, e-commerce, and technology-driven livelihoods.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Womaniya on Government e-Marketplace (GeM) and SHE-Mart<\/strong> initiatives are expanding market access for women entrepreneurs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>NaMo Drone Didi <\/strong>is enabling women to become technology-driven service providers in agriculture.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"cde1eb\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"625\" height=\"386\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-13.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-75751\" style=\"--dominant-color: #cde1eb; width:407px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-13.png 625w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-13-300x185.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Safety and Quality of Life: Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana<\/strong> has reduced indoor air pollution through LPG access.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Jal Jeevan Mission<\/strong> has reduced the burden of water collection and improved health outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana<\/strong> has strengthened women&#8217;s ownership and housing security.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Leadership and Political Participation:<\/strong> Women constituted 48.62% of the electorate in the 2024 General Elections.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>More than 14.5 lakh women<\/strong> serve as elected representatives in Panchayati Raj Institutions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023<\/strong> provides <strong>33%<\/strong> reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Significance of Women-Led Development<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Women-led development promotes <strong>inclusive and sustainable economic growth<\/strong> by expanding the productive workforce and strengthening economic participation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Greater participation of women in the labour market and entrepreneurial activities contributes to <strong>innovation, job creation, and economic diversification.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Increased representation of women in governance and decision-making strengthens<strong> democratic participation<\/strong> and promotes more <strong>inclusive policymaking.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Women-led development contributes directly to <strong>achieving multiple Sustainable Development Goals<\/strong>, including <strong>gender equality, poverty reduction, quality education, good health, and inclusive growth.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Challenges to Realising Women-Led Development<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Low Female Labour Force Participation: <\/strong>Despite improvements, women&#8217;s participation in the workforce remains below its potential due to structural and social barriers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Persistent Gender Wage Gap:<\/strong> Women continue to face wage disparities and unequal access to high-paying employment opportunities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Digital Gender Divide: <\/strong>Unequal access to digital technologies, internet connectivity, and digital skills continues to affect women, particularly in rural areas.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Burden of Unpaid Care Work:<\/strong> Women disproportionately shoulder household and caregiving responsibilities, reducing their participation in paid employment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Social and Cultural Constraints:<\/strong> Deep-rooted patriarchal norms, gender stereotypes, and safety concerns continue to restrict women&#8217;s mobility and opportunities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Underrepresentation in Leadership Positions: <\/strong>Women remain underrepresented in senior corporate, political, administrative, and institutional leadership roles despite recent progress.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Way Ahead<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India must create more employment opportunities for <strong>women in manufacturing, services, green economy sectors, and emerging technologies.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Expansion of <strong>childcare facilities, cr\u00e8ches, and social security systems<\/strong> can reduce the burden of unpaid care work.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Effective <strong>implementation of women&#8217;s reservation and leadership development programmes <\/strong>can deepen women&#8217;s participation in governance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Concluding remarks<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India&#8217;s shift from women-centric welfare to women-led development reflects a transformative development approach that places women at the centre of economic and social progress.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>As India moves towards <strong>Viksit Bharat 2047, <\/strong>strengthening women&#8217;s participation, leadership, and empowerment will be crucial for achieving inclusive and sustainable development.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pib.gov.in\/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2267960&amp;reg=3&amp;lang=2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>PIB<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong> Context <\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> Over the last decade, India has witnessed a paradigm shift from a welfare-oriented approach towards women to a model of women-led development. <\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong> What is Women-Led Development? <\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> Women-led development goes beyond welfare and empowerment by placing women at the centre of economic growth, governance, innovation, and decision-making.\u00a0 <\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> It views women not merely as beneficiaries of schemes but as drivers of social and economic transformation. <\/li>\n<p><a href=\" https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/03-06-2026\/women-led-development-2 \" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-sm float-end\">Read More<\/a><\/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":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-75748","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75748","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=75748"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75748\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":75761,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75748\/revisions\/75761"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=75748"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=75748"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=75748"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}