To mark International Women's Day, JGU hosted a three-day National Convention on Women in India titled ‘Towards Equality, Emancipation, and Empowerment’ at its campus in Sonipat from March 8 to 10. The convention brought together legal luminaries, law firm partners, corporate leaders, public health specialists, media professionals, renowned journalists, filmmakers, distinguished academics, grassroots changemakers, parliamentarians, a former Supreme Court judge, a former Chief Justice of India, and internationally renowned athletes. Together, this historic gathering witnessed transformative discussions on themes ranging from gender equality in political participation, the role of women in climate action, the gendered perspective of violence, and the deconstruction of stereotypes against women in media and society.
On the opening day of the convention on March 8, the Keynote Address was given by Ms. Justice Ranjana P. Desai, Former Judge, Supreme Court of India, and Chairperson, Press Council of India, and the Inaugural Address was delivered by Ms. Shallu Jindal, Chairperson, Jindal Foundation. The Guest of Honour at the inaugural session was Professor Christiana Ochoa, Dean and Herman B Wells Endowed Professor, Maurer School of Law, Indiana University.
The convention ended on March 10 with a keynote address on the theme ‘Towards an Inclusive Future and a Gender Just World’ by Ms. Anupriya Patel, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare. At the end of the conference, JGU and the delegates adopted the ‘Equal Futures Resolution - The Sonipat Declaration 2025’ as a framework for transformative change and a collective commitment to gender justice.
In her Keynote Address, the Guest of Honour Hon'ble Ms. Justice Ranjana P. Desai, Former Judge, Supreme Court of India, and Chairperson, Press Council of India said, "It is the duty of every citizen of India to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women. Supreme Court, I can say that I was a part of that institution once, there are several judgments which have brought this women's right to equality, in effect, judgments that women and then there are several legislations like women's right to equality. So, there is a robust legal favour that can help women receive enforcement of their right to equality. We can't deny that women in India were victims of these restrictions imposed by society. These restrictions were the outcome of long cultural interpretation. Earlier, women have been vulnerable and dependent on men. A lack of education further increased their dependence. Today we have women in all spheres: as judges and lawyers, entrepreneurs, chief ministers, soon the first Indian female Supreme Court Chief Justice, and even astronauts. We have had women Prime Ministers across all South Asian countries. But we have to make sure that our sisters in the villages and rural areas are not left behind and we must ensure that they also get access."
In the Inaugural Address, Ms. Shallu Jindal, remarked, "We must recognise and celebrate the immense contributions of women to our nation's history, economy and society that have enabled us to visualise a world of equality, emancipation and empowerment. The freedom struggle was not just a fight for independence from colonial rule. It was also a fight for the recognition of women's voices in shaping the nation leaders and that women are equal partners in nation-building. The legacy of Indian women freedom fighters lives on in every young girl who dares to dream, in every woman who challenges societal norms, and in every entrepreneur who wants to build a future of possibilities. Equality, empowerment and emancipation are not just ideas, but realities for every woman in India. We must also acknowledge the pioneering women who contributed to the drafting of the Indian Constitution. In today's India, women are leading corporations, serving in senior governance roles, driving innovation, arguing before the various courts of law, and revolutionising social change. The rise of women in STEM business, sports, law, policy, making and arts is a testament to the changing landscape of our country. However, all is not achieved, and challenges persist. Women's labour force participation remains far below its actual potential. Gender gaps in wages and discrimination in leadership recruitment still exist. Women cannot be treated merely as placeholders to satisfy diversity and inclusivity quotas. We need to be the builders of inclusive spaces where doors are open for women who want to pursue their professional goals along with their personal lives."
Guest of Honour Professor Ochoa, in her special address, said, "The expansion of access to education, the growing participation of women in public life, and the evolution of economic opportunities have fundamentally reshaped the status of women in societies around the world. In the United States, the increase in women's access to higher education over the last century is directly tied to their rise in leadership positions across politics, business and civil society. According to the World Bank, every additional year of education for a girl increases her future earnings by up to 20%. Women with extra degrees earn 74% more over their lifetime compared to those with only a high school diploma. The percentage of women in senior management roles in India has reached 36% surpassing the global average; 32% of Indian women entrepreneurs are now leading start-ups, bringing barriers in traditionally male-dominated industries and contributing to India's status as a rapidly growing economy. The parallel between our two countries illustrates a broader truth. When women gain access to education, they become changemakers in politics, business and society, whether in the United States, India, or elsewhere in the world. Education serves as the foundation upon which equality, emancipation and empowerment are built.”
The Founding Vice Chancellor of JGU, Professor (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar highlighted the importance of gender equality and said, "International Women's Day has a new global context and resonance in both the developed and emerging economies. The growing international women's movement, which has been strengthened by four global United Nations women's conferences, has helped make the commemoration a rallying point to build support for women's rights and participation in the political and economic arenas. India, too has major strides in ensuring equity, equality, access and economic and social justice for women. Gender-based discrimination is widespread in areas such as home, workplace, education, healthcare, and political decision-making, among others. As the world gets progressively entangled in geopolitical crises, power imbalances, grave human rights violations and climate change, the greatest solution to mankind is to invest in the empowerment and emancipation of women."
In the Valedictory Session, Ms. Anupriya Patel, Union Minister, in her Keynote Speech, said: "Inclusivity is at the heart of the functioning of the Indian government today. Over the past 11 years, the scale and the speed at which we have worked towards ensuring the basic amenities are unmatched by any other nation, be it access to easier credit or good maternal healthcare for women. This has brought a qualitative change in the life of people and women in India have been the biggest beneficiaries of this change. Change is essential for less privileged women of India and we have seen a rapid growth in the labour force as rural women do not have access to financial opportunities. At the same time, there has been a major surge of women’s participation in the start-up sector and entrepreneurship too. As we empower women who live at the lower rungs of the society, we need to ensure their right share for women at the highest level of decision-making,"
Prof. (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar presented an overview of the three-day convention and said, "The National Convention on Women in India: Towards Equality, Emancipation and Empowerment was organised with the spirit of bringing together a multitude of voices, experiences, and insights to create a platform that can be a catalyst for driving meaningful change. Towards this end, politicians and democratic representatives, leading female experts, media personalities, lawyers and legal luminaries and many more congregated at JGU over panel discussions, fireside chats and keynote addresses. From sports to politics, films to culture, workplace practices to health, access and leadership, women and climate action to gender equality and entrepreneurship, the attending delegates who represented female excellence discussed and debated the achievements so far and the challenges and gaps that remain to be addressed to make India a gender-inclusive society. In view of the theme for IWD 2025, ‘Accelerate Action’, the National Convention explored the systemic and structural challenges that women face but also focused on seeking concrete and actionable solutions for mitigating them."
Watch the National Convention on Women at this link: https://www.youtube.com/@jindalglobaluniversity/videos