EMPOWERING WOMEN: UNLOCKING ECONOMIC GROWTH FOR POVERTY REDUCTION IN INDIA

With a population of more than 1.4 billion, India is the world's largest democracy and one of the fastest-growing economies. With its vast population and diverse economy, it continues to struggle with steady poverty. As per the article from The Economic Times of India, according to the National Family Health Survey, Indian women only contribute 18% to the Gross Domestic Product despite they account for 48.44% of the population. In the development, Women play an important role as they are considered as backbone of families and communities, they are also important contributors to the Indian economy impacting agriculture, industry, services, and entrepreneurship. They are involved in both formal as well as informal sectors, but there are various hindrances that prevent women from contributing to the economy such as marriage, socio-cultural barriers, discrimination, lack of education and awareness, and much more. To remove these obstacles the government of India introduced various policies and strategies such as skill development programs, paid maternity leave, etc., and to some extent, they are helpful but still need to be worked on. Women have the potential to eradicate poverty.