• The Union Minister for Women and Child Development recently inaugurated the second edition of UN Women’s flagship capacity-building programme — SheLeads II: Workshop for Women Leaders — in New Delhi.
• Launched by the UN Women India Country Office, the SheLeads programme seeks to advance gender equality in public and political leadership.
• It aims to equip women with the skills, confidence, and networks necessary to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections, and to assume leadership roles in shaping inclusive policies and governance.
• This initiative plays a crucial role in preparing women leaders to actively contribute to decision-making processes, ensuring that the development agenda reflects the aspirations of all citizens.
• UN Women — the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and women’s empowerment — was created in July 2010 by the UN General Assembly as part of the UN reform agenda.
• Its core functions include supporting inter-governmental bodies in policy-making, assisting member states in implementing global gender equality standards, providing technical and financial support upon request, and fostering partnerships with civil society.