Women’s health and development have been at the core of the Rural Development Institute, Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust (RDI-HIHT) from the very beginning. Many initiatives were taken with a vision to invest in women to accelerate progress, which was the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day. The government of India has initiated various schemes to empower women and their contribution to overall development. Nowadays, women’s development has changed into women-led development and many National Institutes, organizations and associations across the nation are now headed by women.
Every year, March 8 reminds civil society, development agencies and social reformers to comprehend the women-specific issues and mobilize the community to work on them. Despite all the initiatives, it is true that gender discrimination still exists in many sectors which limits women’s empowerment and development to a certain extent.
The day was marked by a series of events and campaigns organized by the RDI-HIHT on the theme “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress”. Participants from various backgrounds joined forces to celebrate women’s accomplishments, raise awareness of gender inequalities, and promote positive change. Women in leadership roles in various industries were invited to present their stories and inspire the gathering with their accomplishments. Many women speakers urged the participants that they have to focus on reducing gender-specific discrimination in their families, offices and institutions. They also informed about women’s legal rights and responsibilities. The events were organized in the Kalsi block of the Dehradun district and the Bahadrabad block of the Haridwar district respectively.
The celebrations were joined by grassroots workers such as ASHAs, Anganwadi workers, ANMs, teachers, and panchayati raj members who also shared their stories and life experiences. The women doing exemplary work in their fields were also honored at the event. Health camps for women were also organized on the occasion.