The Ministry of Rural Development's Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), in collaboration with the Institute for What Works to Advance Gender Equality (IWWAGE), organized the seventh edition of Gender Samvaad on the theme "Participation to Leadership: Enhancing Women’s Agency in Livelihoods." The event witnessed participation from over 6 lakh stakeholders across India, including SHG women, State Rural Livelihoods Mission staff, policymakers, gender experts, and practitioners.
In his keynote address, Secretary Rohit Kansal highlighted the growth of Gender Samvaad from 1,400 participants in April 2021 to nearly six lakh in September 2025. He emphasized the strength of the SHG movement with over 10 crore women participants and noted that over 3.46 crore Lakhpati Didis are earning more than ₹1 lakh annually. He showcased state-led innovations including Maharashtra's Women Farmers' Empowerment Bill recognizing women farmers without formal land titles, Odisha's Bhubaneswar Declaration advancing women's land rights and representation in agricultural institutions, and Andhra Pradesh's RySS natural farming model driven by women's SHGs.
Joint Secretary Amit Shukla highlighted the evolution of gender integration under DAY-NRLM and mentioned specific initiatives including the Gender Advisory issued in December 2021, Nayi Chetna as the Annual National Gender Campaign, the Gender Integration Workshop, and the Practice Guide for Gender Integration in Livelihoods. He emphasized the need for stronger governance and managerial capacities in women's collective economic institutions including CLFs, Producer Groups, Producer Enterprises and FPOs.
Joint Secretary Swati Sharma highlighted the ongoing National Campaign on Entrepreneurship-II (21 August–21 November 2026) aimed at strengthening entrepreneurship among SHG women through enterprise development, value chains, digital platforms and market access. She emphasized that collectivization through SHGs, federations, Producer Groups, FPOs/FPCs and Producer Enterprises, supported by financial inclusion, skills, technology, market linkages and asset ownership, is critical to strengthening women's economic agency and leadership.
Women leaders from Assam and Maharashtra shared their journeys, with Niharika Bhuyan from Sonitpur, Assam progressing from SHG member to leader in a women-led FPC, and Kirti Tai Deshmukh from Akola, Maharashtra moving from homemaker to entrepreneur through SHG-based training and access to government schemes. The event was aligned with the UN International Year of Women Farmers 2026 and served as a platform to recognize women farmers' contributions to rural livelihoods, food systems and local economies.