New Delhi: Women can help drive the change. They have been the flag-bearers of swachhata since time immemorial, not just in their homes but in society at large.
In the run up to the Women’s Day on 8 March, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri launched Swachhotsav, 3-week women-led swachhata campaign, under the Swachh Bharat Mission Urban 2.0. The campaign aims to recognize and celebrate the transition from women in sanitation to women-led sanitation.
A series of events and activities will be organized across cities to celebrate women from all walks of life, who will provide leadership in making the mission of garbage free cities (GFC) a success.
When the Swachh Bharat Mission kicked-off in 2014, large-scale participation of women was witnessed in cleanliness drives, spreading awareness to use toilets, and contributing in their own way towards swachhata. Over the eight years, sanitation is clearly evolving as a key pillar of the Jan Andolan just as other important stakeholders like youth and startups. From operating material recovery facilities to initiating waste-to-wealth startups, from managing sewage treatment plants to generating opportunities of employment for others, women are leading the way.