Muristek
Freedom movement laid ground for gender equality: President Ram Nath Kovind
New Delhi, May 26
President Ram Nath Kovind has said the Indian freedom movement laid foundations for gender equality and the country had since come a long way with women shattering the glass ceiling across sectors.
Inaugurating the National Women Legislators' Conference 2022 in Thiruvananthapuram today, the President recalled the stellar role of women in the Independence movement and said India had always fostered equality.
The President hailed India's accomplishment of offering universal franchise to all adult citizens, regardless of distinctions, right at the inception, noting that in the world's oldest modern democracy, the US, women had to wait for over a century after independence to win the right to vote.
"Their sisters in the United Kingdom also waited nearly as long. Even after that, many economically advanced nations of Europe refrained from granting voting rights to women. In India, however, there was never a time when men could vote, but women could nothellip;From ancient times, this land has seen woman and man as equal — indeed, as incomplete without each other," the President noted.
He said women were shattering the glass ceiling across domains with enhanced roles in the armed forces.
"Their numbers are rising in the traditional male bastions of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and management. There must have been more women than men among the corona warriors who guarded the nation during the crisis," the President said, lauding Kerala for more than its fair share of contribution to the healthcare sector.