Indian Women Adopting Digital Technology Speed Up Progress toward the SDGs, says Leaders at UNGC

By: WE Staff | Wednesday, 28 September 2022

Leaders stated at high-level discussions organised by Reliance Foundation, Observer Research Foundation, and United Nations in India to complement the 77th UNGA discussions that women in India using digital technologies to transform communities could help in accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The activities included the publication's launch by the Reliance Foundation and the Observer Research Foundation of "Aspirations, Access, and Agency: Women Transforming Lives with Technology," which tells inspiring tales of women who have used digital technologies to bring rights, financial services, healthcare, sanitation, and other amenities to India's most remote regions.

Shombi Sharp, the UN Resident Coordinator for India, stated during a talk on "Women Technology and the SDGs" that women are on the front lines of both long-term development and immediate disaster response.

India is predicted to have 1 billion smartphone users in the next four years, with demand in rural regions increasing significantly, according to a statement by the Reliance Foundation. In India now, 54 percent of women own a cell phone, and nearly 80 percent of women independently manage their own bank accounts.

"Reliance's dedication to progress is based on our company's We Care attitude. According to Jagannatha Kumar, CEO of Reliance Foundation, "we are concentrating on enabling platforms across sectors to accomplish SDGs in India, from women's empowerment to green growth and equitable development of all.

“Real progress is possible only if our efforts are inclusive, green, led by communities, and catalysed by agile policies and leadership—all attributes of the emerging yet distinct India story,” added Samir Saran, President, Observer Research Foundation.

Additionally, Dr. S. Jaishankar, India's minister of external affairs, stated that the G20 summit was the perfect venue for hearing the worries of developing nations in the context of India's G20 chairmanship. During its presidency, India has invited a large number of countries to take part in order to increase the number of voices discussing global issues that may not necessarily be receiving the attention or respect they merit. Additionally, he stressed the necessity of multilateralism and the significance of its reform.

Helen Clark, a former New Zealand prime minister and UNDP administrator, also emphasised the significance of ensuring that women have equal access to connectivity so they can use it to access health information, use it for education, use it for government services, use it for financial services, and more in order to fully participate in society.