Sonipat (Haryana), March 9 : To mark the International Women's Day (IWD 2025) O.P. Jindal Global University is hosting a three-day National Convention on Women in India titled "Towards Equality, Emancipation, and Empowerment", at its campus in Sonipat.

The Convention, which began on March 8 and will go on till March 10, brings together diverse and distinguished voices on women and gender spanning across fields of academia, industry, civil society, public administration, media, arts, and literature.

In her keynote address, the Guest of Honour, former Supreme Court judge and current Chairperson of the Press Council of India, Justice Ranjana P. Desai 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 which 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 it is our duty to ensure that they also get access.'

Delivering the inaugural address on the theme "Equality, Emancipation and Empowerment", Jindal Foundation Chairperson Shallu Jindal said: "We must recognise and celebrate the immense contributions of women to our nation's history, economy and society that has 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 Christiana Ochoa, Dean and Herman B. Wells Endowed Professor, Maurer School of Law, Indiana University, 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 per cent, women with extra degrees earn 74 per cent 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 per cent surpassing the global average, 32 per cent 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 change makers in politics, business and society, whether the United States, India or elsewhere in the world, education serves as the foundation upon which equality, emancipation and empowerment are built."

O.P. Jindal Global University's Founding Vice Chancellor Prof (Dr) C. Raj Kumar highlighted the importance of gender equality, saying: "Officially recognised by the United Nations in 1977, 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, 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 fact, the UN Report on 'Progress of Sustainable Development Goals 2023' states that 'A continued failure to prioritise SDG 5 (Gender Equality) will put the entire 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in peril.' The Global Gender Gap Report 2024 reveals that it will take 134 years to reach full gender parity - which is roughly five generations beyond the 2030 Agenda target."

The National Convention on Women in India: Towards Equality, Emancipation and Empowerment is being 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.

In view of the theme for IWD 2025, "Accelerate Action", the National Convention will reflect on the journey so far in gender justice and forge pathways for the work that remains to be done. The Convention will not only explore and examine the systemic and structural challenges that women face but will focus on seeking concrete and actionable solutions for mitigating these challenges. It is imperative to take urgent and immediate measures to dismantle structures that perpetuate gender inequality and build systems that are inclusive, supportive, and equitable, the varsity said. This is a mission that requires combined efforts, solidarities and coalitions bringing together diverse voices and perspectives. Solidarity and intersectional approaches are critical to fostering meaningful change and addressing the needs of gender-diverse individuals whose experiences often remain on the margins of mainstream discourse.

Towards this end, politicians and democratic representatives, leading female experts, media personalities, lawyers and legal luminaries and many more will congregate at JGU over panel discussions, fireside chats and keynote addresses.

These include a deep discourse on politics and governance with Members of Parliament from Rajya Sabha Priyanka Chaturvedi, Dr Fauzia Khan, Rekha Sharma with Dr Sasmit Patra. A session on Gender Equality in Entrepreneurship will include Benu Sehgal, Chief Operating Officer Splendor Lifestyle Products; Shruti Swaroop, Chief Executive Officer, International Inclusion Alliance; and Gauri Vatsa, Honorary Trade Commissioner, India Africa Trade Council.

Yashasvini Jindal, Advisor, JSP Group Advisory Services Pvt. Ltd and Member, Governing Council, O.P. Jindal Global University will present her views on the theme Forging the Future: Women, Leadership, and Legacy in a Changing World.

To discuss and demonstrate the impact of education, a session titled Empowering through Education: Challenges, Best Practices and the Way Forward will include Pia Singh, Director, Board of DLF Limited and Chairperson, DLF CSR Committee; Manvinder Kaur, Principal, Presidium School; Rekha Krishnan, Principal, Vasant Valley School; B. Mahender Reddy, Chief Executive Officer, Sancta Maria, International School. To address the urban and rural divide in India, a special session will be held with Anganwadi workers too.

In the session on higher education and the role of women, Dr Madhu Chitkara, Pro-Chancellor, Chitkara University; Dr Syeda Hameed, Former Member, Planning Commission of India; Prof (Dr) Ananya Mukherjee, Vice Chancellor, Shiv Nadar University; Prof. (Dr) Bijayalaxmi Nanda, Principal, Miranda House; and Prof Ochoa will review the significance of education.

Popular culture like cinema and literature are often called the mirror of society and its realities. Towards this end, a special session will be held with renowned film-maker Ronnie Screwvala, Founder UTV, Producer and Co-Founder upGrad on the theme, "Women in Cinema".

Bharatanatyam dancer and vocalist Geeta Chandran; National School of Drama's former Director, Kirti Jain; poet, critic, and academician Prof Sukrita Paul Kumar, Poet Critic and Academic; and conservation architect and heritage management specialist Gurmeet Sangha Rai will discuss "Women in Literature and Arts: Past, Present and the Future".

The three-day Convention will conclude with a keynote address by Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel on the theme "Towards an Inclusive Future and a Gender Just World".

The introductory remarks were made by the varsity's Dean, Admissions & Outreach Prof (Dr) Upasana Mahanta and the concluding remarks were given by Registrar, Prof Dabiru Sridhar Patnaik.

/IANS