MoRD & UNICEF YuWaah Sign MoU to Empower Rural Women and Youth.
MOUs and Agreement
On March 26, 2025, the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Government of India (GoI), and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) YuWaah (Generation Unlimited India) signed a three-year Statement of Intent (SOI) to enhance livelihood opportunities for rural women and youth in India through skill development, entrepreneurship, and job linkages.
- The partnership aims to boost female labor force participation and empower 10 crore Self-Help Group (SHG) members, with a special focus on youth.
- It aligns with the 'Rural Prosperity and Resilience' Programme from the Union Budget 2025-26, which seeks to reduce underemployment in agriculture through skill development, investment, technology adoption, and strengthening the rural economy.
- The Statement of Intent (SOI) was signed by T. K. Anil Kumar, Additional Secretary, MoRD, and Sharada Thapalia, Deputy Representative (Operations), UNICEF India. The event was also attended by Smriti Sharan, Joint Secretary, MoRD, Dr. Monika, Deputy Secretary, MoRD, along with team members from MoRD and UNICEF YuWaah.
Main Point :- (i) The Digital Infrastructure Development initiative includes the establishment of Computer Didi Centers and Didi ki Dukan (women-owned retail outlets) across five states: Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Rajasthan. The initiative will start with 5 blocks and aims to expand to 35 lakh women across 7,000 blocks upon successful implementation.
(ii) Under Skill and Employment Platforms, the Youth Hub will be launched as an aggregator platform to connect youth with job opportunities, skilling programs, and volunteering initiatives. This platform aims to bridge the gap between rural youth and employment avenues.
(iii) The initiative also focuses on empowering women through Lakhpati Didis, a program designed to create women entrepreneurs earning Rs 1 lakh annually, aligning with the government's vision of economic empowerment.
About MoRD
Minister : Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan
Headquarters : New Delhi
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