Women increasingly becoming initiators of policies: Jitendra Singh

The time has come to avail the change being led by women, as they are increasingly becoming initiators of policies, rather than passive consumers of government initiatives, he said at a conference Women Leading Change in Health and Science in India.Singh said women scientists have carved a niche for themselves in areas of start-ups, STEM science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, information technology, space, nuclear science, drone and nano-technology.

Women are increasingly becoming initiators of policies, rather than passive consumers of government initiatives, and the time has come to avail the change being led by them, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Tuesday.

The minister of state for science and technology also said that women are gradually evolving from participatory to leadership roles, and are an essential component of the nation's inclusive growth.

''Women power has already arrived, but there is a need for change in the mindset. The time has come to avail the change being led by women, as they are increasingly becoming initiators of policies, rather than passive consumers of government initiatives,'' he said at a conference 'Women Leading Change in Health and Science in India'.

Singh said women scientists have carved a niche for themselves in areas of start-ups, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), information technology, space, nuclear science, drone and nano-technology. Several big scientific projects, including Gaganyaan, are being led by women scientists, he said. ''The remarkable success of the second lunar mission Chandrayaan-2, led by two women scientists from the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), is an inspiration for all the women working in sectors like health, education, business, medicine, sports and agriculture,'' the minister said.

Co-chair and trustee at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Melinda Gates, said policies designed for women must be made by women themselves. She asserted that the women must have a greater say in the decision-making process for its ultimate success.

Gates lauded the emergence of the direct cash transfer scheme of the government during COVID-19 and said nearly 200 million received direct cash benefits, which led to their empowerment and greater societal benefit.