The Gender Park, an autonomous body under the Kerala government, is all set to partner with UN Women to further the cause of women empowerment and function as a South Asia hub for gender equality. While the world body reiterated that Kerala has been a role model for the rest of the world through exemplary leadership in gender equality initiatives, Chief Minister of the statePinarayi Vijayan described the partnership as a step in the right direction to further the cause of a just and equal society.
Setting the context for the tie-up, officials of the UN Women multi-country office (MCO) had a meeting with Kerala Minister for Health and Social Justice K K Shylaja at UN House in New Delhi last month, where the broad framework of the co-operation came up for discussion. UN Women in New Delhi covers India, Bhutan, Maldives and Sri Lanka.
Undoubtedly, Kerala is one of the best places in the region to emerge as a hub of gender discourse, Vijayan said. Noting that the state’s women are among the country’s most educated, he quoted a recent official survey that cited a rise in female workforce participation to 20.4 per cent in 2018-19 from 16.4 per cent in 2017-18. The Chief Minister stressed the need for social enterprises and businesses to be gender-inclusive to empower communities.
This partnership marks recognition of Keralas long and hard campaigns and policy initiatives to achieve gender justice and parity. It will also help us present Keralas long-drawn history and experience in gender equity movement before a wider regional and global audience, the Chief Minister said on the proposal.
Notably, the UN Women Multi-Country Office located in Delhi will support Gender Park to develop it into a South Asia hub for gender-related activities. The two parties will set up the Gender Data Centre at the Park’s 24-acre Kozhikode campus that also houses an International Institute for Gender and Development. According to the release, the UN Women was established in 2010 and works with all strata of society to promote gender equality.
