Lucknow: The two day National Seminar on Women-Led Development: Arising Concerns and Strategies for Viksit Bharat @ Vision 2047 was organized by the Department of Social Work, University of Lucknow on March 22-23, 2025. The primary objective of this national seminar was to promote women-led development by strengthening their social, economic, and political roles and focus on addressing the emerging challenges related to gender equality and discussing strategic solutions for ensuring inclusive development.
The Chief Guest, Minister of State for Women’s Welfare, Child Development, and Nutrition, Government of Uttar Pradesh, Pratibha Shukla described that the women safety, health and education are amongst top priority actions of the government. She also highlighted the various government schemes and programs aimed at women’s upliftment, such as Kanya Sumangala Yojana, One Stop Centers, Nari Shakti Vandan Act, and the Chief Minister’s Self-Employment Scheme. She emphasized that when women are empowered, the nation prospers.
In his Keynote address, Colonel Prof. Y.S. Siddegowda, Former Vice-Chancellor, Tumkur University, Karnataka, shared his insights on gender empowerment. He was of the view that the policies and programmes should not be limited to plans but to implement and monitored at the grassroot level. He underscored the importance of enhancing women’s education and skill development in various fields such as technology, arts, and science and drew attention to critical issues such as maternal health, gender-based violence, rural and tribal women’s challenges, and the need for economic and educational independence for women. Prof. Alok Kumar Rai, the Honorable Vice Chancellor, University of Lucknow in his Presidential Address shared statistics on women’s representation in leadership positions across the state and within the university. He stressed that promoting women’s leadership requires a change in societal mindset and emphasized the role of educational institutions in fostering gender equality. He urged all participants to take active steps in their respective fields to ensure greater inclusion of women in leadership roles
Prof. Rakesh Dwivedi, Convener & Head, Department of Social Work, University of Lucknow highlighted the seminar’s objectives and emphasized that women’s leadership and empowerment are crucial not only from a social justice perspective but also for national development. He said that the status of women in India has improved significantly in recent years, but there is still a long way to go. It is essential to recognize the achievements made so far and continue to work towards a more equitable and just society for women. Prof. Manuka Khanna, Pro Vice Chancellor , University of Lucknow expressed that crafting and execution of a concrete policy framework concerning the empowerment of women can usher to accomplishing the desired missions of developing the quality status of women in society.
On this auspicious occasion, the Vice Chancellor, University of Lucknow dedicated two Halls of the Department, in the fond memory of two former Heads of the Department of Social Work, Prof. R.B.S. Verma and Prof. P.D. Mishra.
The session concluded with a Vote of Thanks by Dr. Anvita Verma, who expressed gratitude to all dignitaries, organizers, and participants for their valuable contributions. She acknowledged the University of Lucknow’s efforts in hosting this significant seminar and emphasized the importance of continued discussions and actions towards women-led development.
