United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) have joined forces in a collaborative partnership aimed at empowering women and enabling them to make informed career choices in the field of entrepreneurship. This partnership will provide crucial support to women who aspire to start or expand their own enterprises in various sectors, fostering entrepreneurship development and accelerating enterprise growth.
The partnership aims to provide support for women looking to start or expand their own enterprises in various sectors, such as care economy, digital economy, electric mobility, waste management, food packaging and more.To enhance the implementation of national-level schemes for urban poverty alleviation and livelihood promotion by providing capacity building support to DAY-NULM.To pilot innovative solutions, particularly in the care economy domain, to address the challenges and opportunities faced by women entrepreneurs.The project will cover eight cities in the initial phase and will span over three years, with the possibility of extension beyond 2025.
Role of UNDP
- UNDP will offer national-level capacity building support to DAY-NULM, focusing on knowledge generation and management, such as compiling compendiums of best practices related to urban poverty.
- UNDP and DAY-NULM will jointly engage in on-ground mobilization activities that involve identifying pockets of urban poverty and potential entrepreneurs, as well as facilitating access to business development services.
- UNDP will also contribute to the initiative by developing community business mentors called Biz-Sakhis in selected project locations.
- These mentors can support new and existing enterprises and serve as a resource for DAY-NULM at a later stage.
Importance
- Women entrepreneurship is a proven strategy for poverty alleviation, financial independence, and reshaping gender norms.
- Today, women account for only 15% of the total entrepreneurs in India. By increasing this number, the partnership not only empowers women, but also accelerates economic growth and ensures a happy and healthy society.
- The partnership leverages UNDP’s experience in linking over 200,000 women with better employment opportunities, and DAY-NULM’s mandate of uplifting urban communities through sustainable livelihood opportunities.
Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission
- The mission was launched in 2014 and is being implemented by the Urban Ministry of Housing & Poverty Alleviation.
- It aims to uplift urban poor by enhancing sustainable livelihood opportunities through skill development.
- It is Centrally Sponsored Scheme. Funding will be shared between the Centre and the States in the ratio of 75:25. For North eastern and Special Category – the ratio will be 90:10.
- DAY-NULM has mobilized more than 8.4 million urban poor women across India, forming over 8,31,000 Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in over 4,000 towns till 2023.