50% of Indian women joining workforce will boost GDP: Expert

Hyderabad: Jyotika Kalra, member, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said that even if 50 per cent of Indian women start working then the GDP of India will go up by 1.5 to 9 per cent.

She delivered the presidential address at a one-day conference on "Integrating Women's Development with Nation's Development: Role of Stakeholders" held at NALSAR University of Law here on Friday.

She also said that the potential of women has not yet been realised and all talk has been about violence against women rather than empowerment of women as powerful agents of development. The Conference was organised in collaboration with the NHRC.

Justice G Chandraiah, Chairperson, Telangana State Human Rights Commission, who attended as the chief guest at the Conference, in his address, emphasised the importance of human rights particularly Right to Dignity and Rights of Women.

He also said that number of schemes of TS government such as Shaadi Mubarak, Kalyana Lakshmi, double bedroom houses to the poor, pension to old age/widows etc., is basically schemes for the promotion and realisation of basic human rights.

Jaideep Govind, Secretary-General, NHRC stressed on the importance of integrating human development with nations development. Soso Shaiza, member, National Commission for Women chaired one session and highlighted several issues about women development.

Pallav Kumar highlighted atrocities against Dalit women and how their development is neglected. Prof Faizan Mustafa, Vice-Chancellor, NALSAR University of Law recalled the effective role played by NHRC in the realisation of human rights in the first decade of its inception and expressed the hope that the NHRC will proactively work towards helping the poor and the marginalised sections of our population.

He also said that today women of the country are ready to lead us. He also emphasized the need for researches in the area of human rights and women rights.