Indian women are starting to take giant strides. But there is a particular segment, hailing from Tier 2 and Tier 3 districts, that is now starting to march ahead, creating new ballast for women-led development in India. This segment—coming from backgrounds that are neither rich nor poor—has different circumstances and obstacles relative to their urban sisters. Their numbers are 400 million, or 10 per cent of the total women population of the world. If we are able to energise them, it will open a new chapter in India’s development. The issues they grapple with are different, and therefore any approach to liberate their energies will require different thinking, solutions and infrastructure. An approach that will build the balance sheet of the country.
Women from these districts are ‘balance sheet builders’, whereas men often exhibit a ‘profit and loss’ type behaviour. What this means is that given any resource, the women in small towns and districts use it for the long-term benefit of society—investing in schooling of children, their nutrition, the construction of a home, etc.
Men, usually spend at least 20 per cent of any resource on immediate needs like tobacco, alcohol, food and clothing. But this metaphor plays out in other areas. Women have been shown to be more collaborative, as the success of SHG groups across India has shown. Unlike men, women in Tier 2 and Tier 3 districts do not have the luxury of taking a train to a metro city for employment and therefore are more vested in the local economy. This is a key reason that Prime Minister Modi has coined the phrase Women-led Development. This phrase moves the discussion from the weak women stereotype.
In my work in Deoria and Kushinagar, this power of women is evident, and we have sought to harness it through Udyamita. Often done with family members, enterprise gives women a local stake and the ability to create employment for themselves and others. However, this requires us to move beyond SHG-led livelihood, to seeing women as managers and entrepreneurs. We have succeeded in doing this in areas like apparel and handicraft, agro-processing and recently through remote digital models. Other areas like rural tourism and eco-friendly enterprises are also emerging. For this to be mainstreamed, we must create women-centric infrastructure, like creches, medical facilities, etc.
The biggest boost to women-led development has come from the ballot box. Voting trends over three general elections have seen the voting share of women rise and equal that of men. The Women’s Reservation Act, 2023 recognises the ‘balance sheet building’ qualities of women. Women’s vote is a vote for development, as they are less influenced by caste and class issues. They support politicians who look after their interests, and this has been evident in the vote that Prime Minister Modi harnessed. This trend will be a victory not just for Women-led Development, but also a victory for Indian democracy that will translate into Amrit Kaal.
Shashank Mani
Author and founder of the Jagriti Movement
Posts on X (formerly Twitter): @shashankmanibjp