In a glowing endorsement from the global stage, a top United Nations official has hailed India’s Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) as a game-changer for women’s empowerment. Speaking ahead of the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, Sandra Hendricks, Policy Director at UN Women, spotlighted how the scheme has brought banking services to over 290 million women across India.
India’s ambitious initiative stands out for enabling digital identities and bank accounts for its entire female and girl child population, which constitutes one-fifth of the world’s women and girls. Hendricks described this as an ‘exemplary step’ during a press conference in New York.
‘Making it easier for women and girls across India to open digital bank accounts is truly commendable,’ she stated. The PMJDY has opened accounts for millions, with 56 percent now held by women, powered by the universal biometric Aadhaar system.
This digital financial inclusion is transformative, providing women the tools to start businesses and gain financial independence. Hendricks emphasized that when laws support women in opening bank accounts and launching enterprises, real-life changes follow.
The praise comes as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ report ahead of the commission meeting stresses universal access to justice for women and girls. Globally, women have only 64 percent of men’s legal rights due to discriminatory laws in many countries.
Progress is possible, the report notes, but it requires focused efforts on equitable justice outcomes that address systemic exclusion and power imbalances. India’s model offers a blueprint for the world, demonstrating how policy can drive gender equality.