Dear Rotary Club Leaders
I am always energized when I visit the PETS because it is a powerful reminder of the values that defined my journey in Rotary as a club president, District Governor, Chair of various avenues of service in the District and with Rotary International and of course as a Director of RI and Trustee in the TRF. That is why I always like to meet the future leaders of Rotary and share some ideas of what can be developed by them. I see this as an opportunity to meet with members of the new generation of leaders who are ready to take up some of the most serious challenges facing our world now. I am also happy to listen to newer ideas about what’s working in the minds of the leaders and understand where they need more support. I spend time with many inspiring young people and have always found that their enthusiasm and optimism were infectious. In this context we have to think about women achievers and talk about those struggling who are to achieve something. We have to make sure that they have safe spaces, resources and opportunities for them to become successful. And there is so much work to be done about this in our community, our society and around the world now. But what continues to give me hope is the knowledge that young leaders such as yourselves are ready to step up and make a difference. You are the reason Rotary exists and your continued support to the cause of women empowerment matters more than ever. Rotary has been doing work around the globe to empower adolescent girls through education. You have the opportunity to help in this area and touch even more lives in the year ahead. You have the opportunity to support Rotary’s initiative and also start your own programme and work tirelessly to remove the barriers that are keeping over 100 million girls worldwide out of the school. Girls from rural areas often face additional barriers to going to school or for higher education. You can give them access to coding classes, robotics, academic education and mentorship from other successful women in the community. Each club can work out a plan to support at least 100 girl students every year. It is inspiring opportunities such as this which is happening all over the world that makes your life in Rotary more meaningful. The possibility to make young girls to become educated are truly endless and I ask you join the vision of our future RI World Leader and help in unlocking the potential of women to contribute to the growth of the country. When women thrive, so does our world. As we get ready to enter the new year, I want you to take a moment and reflect on what your support to empowerment of women can mean. Not just in your community here, but all over the country. I want you to think about how much more can be achieved in the year ahead if you focus on igniting the promise of e better future inside every girl. It is staggering but even before Covid millions of girls were out of school and when they grow up without formal education their future will be a big question mark in today’s world. The pandemic and devastating events in some countries have posed a big challenge to women now. That is why, now more than ever, Rotary needs you to continue and step up your support to women empowerment schemes. You can just go into the villages and see the brave, inspiring and intelligent girls. What they need is funds for education and assurance that they will have an opportunity to showcase their ability in any field they choose. Start by helping girls to gain access and get trained in reproductive healthcare, financial literacy and other life-skills. Women from the economically challenged sections of the society need not think that their children will also end up as house-maids in our homes and spend their lives cleaning vessels and washing clothes of richer people. Our country is changing for the better and many girls depend on the generosity of people like you to reach their full potential. The fifth National Family and Health Survey carried out by the Government of India between 2019 and 2021 found that India has now 1020 women for every 1000 men. India’s swing towards a predominately female population is also a remarkable moment for a country which for centuries has been one of “missing women”, referring to the millions of girls killed before or just after being born due to a societal stigma to giving birth to a daughter. It indicates strides are being made in tackling sex-selective abortions, female foeticide and neglect of girls and women, which have deeply impacted on the female population. It is now estimated that there are 60 crore women in India which is slightly over 48% But there are only 27% of women in the workforce in India. It is reported that 1 in 3 women have experienced some form of abuse and violence in their lifetime. The literacy rate for women is only 65% compared to 81% for men. The proportion of working women in rural areas is more than that in urban areas but the earnings of these women are not sufficient to support a healthy family. It is reported that working women give birth to more children than non-working women. Women working in agriculture related fields is over 36% in India. Finally, over 80% of the working women in India are married. These statistics reveal some good trends but also show that women are not getting their fair share of wages when it comes to industry. The point is that a country’s economy can grow faster when more women find employment and are able to become economically independent. In a year of tremendous uncertainties, Rotarians such as yourselves, carry hope with you wherever you go. Women, particularly need inclusiveness in our administrative system. If you see the ratio of women in Parliament or other State Assemblies it is still very low. We always talk a Promised Land for everyone and that means equity for all. Your Rotary club should engage women from various sections of the society in community development and connect them with ways to shape their own future for common good. Educating women of all ages can help to interrupt domestic violence before it begins and women can invest their time and education with other people who are most at risk of harm. A crisis has a way of shaping our focus. The pandemic has made many homes suffer losses of lives of loved ones. People are now starting to appreciate the parts of their lives that maybe they took for granted. People have started to revisit the values given by their ancestors. They are taking a fresh look at the relationships with family members and are thinking how to honour this bond which came through birth or marriage. People are now thinking that they need more time to understand those who never mattered to them before and this crisis has forced people to reflect on their own uncertain lives. But this crisis has also brought about a shift in the way people, especially women who come from diverse backgrounds, see their role in the community. Diversity is always to be celebrated because it is there. But existing together and understanding that diversity in culture or other forms of lifestyle need not hinder people helping each other has evolved in recent times. A deadly pandemic hit our community and especially the neglected sections the hardest. Disparities in wealth, health and access to healthcare were more visible now. But women from various sections of the society came up with the idea of community kitchen to prepare food and distribute to the houses of those who were affected with Covid and could not cook at home. The changes in the day-to-day lives were profound as anything that most of us have seen in our lifetimes. These events have forced us to reflect on what matters most. The pandemic revealed what was already frayed in our social fabric. It sharped our focus on what must be done to counter the pandemic and address the systematic discrimination that a section of the society was facing, especially women from economically challenged sections. This crisis has spurred us to take action, in ways large and small, to move beyond the world as it is and create a world as it should be. Inclusiveness of women in nation building is now more important since we have seen how fragile the domestic scene is if a breadwinner is lost to Covid. Women, as new leaders of households, are now forced to take up challenges and this could have been smoother if the society had concentrated on their education earlier. Doctors and nurses risking their lives to save ours. Healthcare workers taking to the streets to demand that we live up to our highest ideals. Workers, who have always been essential, maintaining critical parts of our infrastructure and economy—keeping shelves stocked, lights on, and vital operations open. Community leaders cleaning up streets, looking after neighbors, and matching mutual aid to mutual need. Volunteers making masks and donating blood. Researchers racing to find treatments. Artists sustaining us with new creations. Musicians writing anthems to guide movements. People everywhere around the world calling and marching for change. In all these things that are happening now, women are playing a crucial role. This is a time for real leadership in all walks of life. And I’m heartened that the things the world will need most as we emerge from these crises—empowered and enlightened new women leaders, stronger and more closely-knit communities—are exactly what our Rotary movement is working to deliver. The pages of your club’s bulletins must be filled with voices that will play a part in leading the members of your club to do more now and show the path to a brighter future ahead. I have been a strong believer that my time in Rotary must be invested with leaders such as yourselves, spotlight potential talents, support them and connect them to each other. This way we can create a generation of compassionate, ethical and empathetic leaders in Rotary. This will mean that more women are naturally attracted to take up membership in Rotary and aspire for leadership positions in clubs and Districts. The women members in your club must find your club as a place of inspiration. They will identify vital and long neglected areas in community service and lead Rotary in transformation that can begin in your club and extend globally. Now is the time for cultivating community virtually, encouraging social connections in a time of social distancing and ensuring that we use our resources to eradicate Covid along with polio. We have to navigate together. We have to sharpen our focus on bringing more women into the movement, examine how to address the weaknesses that have been revealed and continue to fight for a more just world. Today, when I see young people all across the country stepping up and speaking out in such meaningful ways—when I see their talent and sophistication and passion—it makes me feel optimistic. It makes me feel as if this country is going to get better. But real change starts with a focus on results, and everyone committed to doing their part. Do your part now.