Tirupati Resolution Adopted at First National Conference on Women Empowerment

The first national conference of Parliamentary and Legislative Committees on Women Empowerment concluded in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, with the unanimous adoption of the ‘Tirupati Resolution’, a landmark roadmap for advancing gender equality and women-led development in India. The two-day historic gathering brought together legislators, policymakers, and experts to deliberate on ways to strengthen women’s role in India’s growth journey.

Speaker’s Call for Sustainable Empowerment

Delivering his address at the valedictory session, Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla underlined that women’s empowerment is not merely a welfare issue but an economic necessity. He stressed that by investing in women’s health, education, skills, and entrepreneurship, India can unlock its vast human capital and create a resilient socio-economic development model.

He reiterated that women’s leadership is pivotal to India’s ambition of achieving Viksit Bharat by 2047, and that such conferences provide crucial platforms for legislators at both central and state levels to share experiences, strengthen collaboration, and chart actionable policies.

Governor of Andhra Pradesh, Shri S. Abdul Nazeer, also addressed the gathering, reaffirming the importance of women’s empowerment as a national priority.

Democracy as a Civilizational Value

Marking the International Day of Democracy, Shri Birla observed that India’s democratic ethos is deeply civilizational, rooted in centuries of practice of equality, dialogue, and participation. He highlighted that as the “Mother of Democracy,” India has continuously demonstrated that democracy is more than a political system—it is a way of life woven into the nation’s cultural and social fabric.

Learning from Reformers and Grassroots Initiatives

The Speaker recalled the pioneering contributions of reformers like Savitribai Phule, who championed women’s education in the 19th century. He cited inspiring examples such as village schools in Maharashtra where elderly women pursued literacy, underscoring how empowerment through education has historically transformed communities.

Highlighting the achievements of women from rural and underprivileged backgrounds, he noted their excellence in education, entrepreneurship, and community leadership. These examples, he said, prove that when opportunities are extended, women deliver transformative outcomes.

Gender Responsive Budgeting as Social Justice

A central theme of Shri Birla’s address was Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB), which he described as a socio-economic model of justice and inclusion. He stressed that national and state budgets must integrate women’s needs into mainstream development agendas rather than treating them as peripheral.

Key measures proposed include:

• Institutionalizing Gender Budget Cells in Ministries and State Departments.

• Enhancing allocations for women’s healthcare, education, skills, entrepreneurship, and access to credit.

• Monitoring outcomes through gender-disaggregated data.

Such initiatives, he emphasized, would ensure that resource allocation directly contributes to women’s empowerment and inclusive growth.

Women and the Digital Era

Addressing the challenges and opportunities posed by emerging technologies, Shri Birla warned against leaving women behind in the digital age. He called for urgent measures to:

• Bridge the digital divide by expanding access to technology.

• Ensure cyber safety through stronger awareness and protections.

• Expand digital literacy programs, including dedicated missions for women modeled on earlier adult literacy campaigns.

He also urged policymakers to encourage women’s participation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) fields, positioning them as active creators of technology rather than passive consumers.

The Tirupati Resolution: Roadmap for Women-Led Development

The conference concluded with the adoption of the Tirupati Resolution, a comprehensive blueprint for gender equality. The resolution pledged to:

• Apply a gender lens across all Ministries and Departments.

• Enhance allocations for health, education, skills, and entrepreneurship.

• Institutionalize gender responsive budgeting and strengthen technical capacity at all levels.

• Promote women’s participation in STEM fields and bridge the digital divide.

• Ensure cyber safety and digital literacy programs nationwide.

• Advance women’s education, health, safety, dignity, and self-reliance as the foundation of national progress.

Towards Viksit Bharat by 2047

The Tirupati Resolution reaffirms that women-led development will be central to India’s realization of Viksit Bharat by 2047. By integrating gender equality into every aspect of governance and development, India aims to build an inclusive, just, and resilient future.