India Reaffirms Commitment to Women-Led Development at SCO Women’s Forum 2026, Bishkek

The Union  Minister for Women and Child Development, Smt. Annpurna Devi addressed the SCO Women’s Forum 2026 in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic today , through a video message, reaffirming India’s commitment to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and its principles of mutual respect, equality, and consensus, and to strengthening the partnership and advancing the Organisation’s shared development goals.

Delivering India’s opening statement and remarks to the panel session on the Role of Women in Economic Development, the Minister emphasised that women are not merely beneficiaries of growth but among its most powerful drivers — the essence of India’s vision of Women-Led Development and its goal of a Viksit Bharat by 2047.

The Minister highlighted that nearly 100 million women are organised into over 9 million Self-Help Groups, of whom more than 30 million have become Lakhpati Didis. Mission Shakti and Mission Poshan 2.0 were cited as pillars advancing women’s safety, care, and economic participation.

India reaffirmed its readiness to share experiences and deepen cooperation with SCO partners in advancing women’s economic leadership and well-being across the region.