"Women's economic empowerment not charity, but smart economics": Bharati Sayani
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 28 2026: Vijaya Bharati Sayani, Member of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), declared on Tuesday that women's economic empowerment is India's most powerful accelerator for progress.

She urged equal access to credit, skills, markets, and leadership opportunities.

She was speaking as chief guest at the inaugural session of a two-day Human Rights Awareness Programme at the Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy (JNMDA) in Imphal today.

"Today, I stand before you with great hope and conviction.

As we journey towards a Viksit Bharat by 2047, no dream of a developed and inclusive India can be realised without the full and equal participation of women in our economy", Sayani emphasized.

She traced postIndependence challenges like low female literacy and limited labour force entry, noting India's steady progress.

Citing the Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Sayani highlighted that the female Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for those aged 15 and above has risen to 40% from 33.9% in 2022 .

The overall LFPR stands at 59.3%, with male participation at 79.1%.Monthly data showed the female rate reaching 35.3% in December 2025, up from 34.2% in April 2025."This rise is more than a statistic.

Through self-help groups and entrepreneurship, millions of women are boldly entering the workforce, particularly in rural areas", she added.

Sayani stressed that female employment boosts household nutrition, education, and health, though gaps persist.

India's female LFPR remains below the global average of 49%, with women holding just 21% of board seats in major companies, 14% in Parliament, and about 10% across Lok Sabha and State Assemblies combined.

"Economic empowerment is not charity.

It is smart economics", she asserted, citing World Bank estimates that Indian women contribute only 17% to GDP- less than half the global average.

Closing the.

gap by bringing 50% of women into the workforce could accelerate India's growth by 1.5 percentage points to 9% annually.

Sayani outlined key Government initiatives under Mission Shakti, including nutrition support, early childhood care, and upgraded Saksham Anganwadis.

Under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-NRLM, over 90.90 lakh self-help groups (SHGs) have mobilized 10.05 crore women, with success stories like Bank Sakhi, Narno Drone Didi, and Lakhpati Didi.

As of January 2026, women-owned micro and small businesses secured orders worth over Rs 80,000 crore, exceeding the 3% target.

By February 2026, the Udyam platform registered more than 3.07 crore women-led businesses.

Skill India, PMKVY, and emerging programmes in green jobs and AI are further equipping women, she added.

Highlighting the NHRC's role in tying women's economic rights to constitutional guarantees, Sayani pointed to its seminars on workplace safety, conferences on female labour participation, and discussions on ASHA workers' workload, pay, and safety.

"Despite strides, real challenges remain", she warned, citing unpaid care work, unsafe workplaces, skill mismatches, and social norms that confine many women to low-productivity sectors.

"Most of women's unpaid work is informal, invisible, and unrecognised", she said, noting how cooking, cleaning, fetching water, and caregiving limit formal participation.

She flagged persistent wage gaps and called for policies to shift women into formal, high-value roles.

"The road ahead is clear.

We must move from mere presence to genuine influence and raise the female LFPR from 40% and beyond", Sayani said.

Her recommendations included full implementation of the Women's Reservation Act post-delimitation, expanded mentorship, strict equal pay enforcement, investments in creches and workplace safety, and private sector adoption of Women Empowerment Principles.

"Imagine an India where every woman, in a village or city, enjoys equal access to credit, skills, markets, and leadership", she envisioned.

"India will grow faster and be more just, compassionate, and resilient.

Let us commit today, in our policies, workplaces, homes, and hearts, to turn this vision into a lived reality for every daughter, sister, and mother", Sayani concluded.

The programme was organised by Samvardhinee Nyas in collaboration with Khenjonglang.

Dignitaries included Madhuri Marathe, All India Organising Secretary of Samvardhinee Nyas, and Th Tiningpham Monsang, Chairperson of the Manipur State Commission for Women.

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