World Bank President Malpass praises India for empowering women

Washington, Apr 14 (PTI):
The world is leapfrogging in women’s empowerment, World Bank President David Malpass has said and praised India’s efforts, especially that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he is “deeply interested and concerned.”
Participating in a panel discussion on “Empowering Women as Entrepreneurs and Leaders” organised by the World Bank on the sidelines of its spring meetings here on Thursday, Malpass and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, along with other panelists, discussed the development and empowerment of women in India and the world.
“We should continue all that we are doing now for women,” Sitharaman said in response to a question as she explained in detail the steps the Modi Government has undertaken for the economic empowerment of women in India.
Malpass commended the efforts of Prime Minister Modi in India, where the World Bank has a massive programme.
The prime minister, he said, is “deeply interested and concerned and pushing on this issue.”
The world is leapfrogging in empowerment, the World Bank president said.
For women to be able to communicate, to have digital transactions without having to go to the bank where there might be a male clerk, that doesn’t really receive them well, is hugely empowering, he said. “And also just the source of information that women can get on how other women are operating in other parts of the world, that’s huge. And so, I think we should push that along as fast as we can,” Malpass said.
“I’ll give you the example of skilling programmes, which are happening in India wherein, I don’t know what I can make out of this. If a hundred people are trained and they’re trained in such skills which are useful for employment, immediate recruitment potential, 68 per cent of all those who have been recruited are women.
“It just says a lot more about how women are ready once they have the skills in their hands to get going,” Sitharaman said.
“So, we have to invest in skilling women and legislative support is something which is very important for countries like India. For instance, we had given 12 weeks of paid maternity leave for women, but now we have enhanced it to 26 weeks so that till 26 weeks, you are completely paid, you can take care of maternity duties, and then of course you can, we also have this thing now paternity leave also being provided,” she said.

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