FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Women Development Cell (WDC) of Shivaji College, University of Delhi today at Federation House, New Delhi.
The primary objective of the MoU is to empower women and youth, which plays a crucial role in the development of the society at large. It is essential to empower women and youth to build strong economies and establish more stable and just societies. FLO & WDC will work towards this goal by inculcating sensitivity and awareness about gender equality and help them understand the importance of empowering women to be an active partner in the economic growth of any society.
Ms Pinky Reddy, FLO President said, “FLO recognizes that women are the critical mass that will transform politics, improve governance, ensure inclusive and more socially sensitive development. We are aware of the fact that there is an enormous task ahead of all of us and as an organisation, FLO aspires to be a catalyst in propelling women towards her rightful place in society.”
“Towards this, we are joining hands with WDC to target the youth and make them an integral part of this process of gender sensitisation and go beyond just empowering women and work towards strengthening communities to focus on the creation of systemic and sustainable change,” she added.
Further adding to the agenda of the MoU, Ms Reddy said, “It is also important to create a roadmap to reduce unemployment, particularly amongst youth, by encouraging and facilitating the culture of entrepreneurship, particularly amongst youngsters. We would definitely work towards promotion of competition, entrepreneurship and innovation by means of talks, movies, workshops and interactive sessions. We would also connect the girl students with SWAYAM, a support cell for women Entrepreneurs, a pan India initiative by FLO to provide support to new and existing women entrepreneurs as also aspiring student entrepreneurs, in establishing a new business and enhancing existing ones.”
Dr. Shashi Nijhawan, Principal, Shivaji College said, “Shivaji College takes the idea of gender sensitisation with earnestness and focus that it deserves. Through its committee, the Women’s Development Cell, the college makes an effort to create awareness and sensitise students who fall within the age groups of 18-22 years towards gender disparity and the need to correct these inequalities at an early age. It is only then that these students will have a sharp and heightened sensitivity and acceptance of the idea of equality of genders in every possible space. The vision of the college is to engage all students irrespective of gender to achieve this utopian ecosystem where half the world’s population can also make headway in self- enhancement like the other half.”
She added, “The College also identifies several people who work at grassroots level to reduce gender disparity and whose work is seldom recognised or celebrated. A few such people are identified annually and felicitated with the Jijabai awards, as a salutation to their work, and as a celebration of the life of a mother who imparted worthy values to her son, Shivaji, after whom the college is named. Shivaji College has pioneered the idea of recognising the work of people who aim to better the lives of others. FLO and Shivaji College aim to work in a synergised manner and address issues of gender equality and opportunity with greater rigour.”
