The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) and UNICEF YuWaah signed a Statement of Intent (SOI) to strengthen collaboration aimed at empowering India’s youth and women by connecting them to skilling, economic, and social impact opportunities, a statement released by the ministry stated.
Through this three-year partnership, UNICEF YuWaah and MoRD will build on existing national and state initiatives to co-create scalable solutions for skilling, economic opportunities, and social impact, with a focus on vulnerable populations. At the core of this collaboration is a pilot initiative across CLFs in Odisha, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh will use an ecosystem approach to empower SHG women and their female family members (18-29 years) by linking them to jobs, self-employment, entrepreneurship, and skills aligned with local demand.
TK Anil Kumar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, said, "This partnership has come at a very opportune time as it aligns with the Rural Prosperity and Resilience Programme announced in the Budget 2025-26. It is particularly significant because nearly one-third of the 10 crore SHG members are youth, who will play a central role in this initiative."
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“By strengthening digital infrastructure, enhancing skilling pathways, and fostering entrepreneurship, this partnership has the potential to create sustainable livelihoods and transform local economies. Investing in young people and women economic participation is not just about individual progress, it’s about driving inclusive growth at the community and national levels," said Sharada Thapalia, Deputy Representative Operations, UNICEF India.
This pilot will integrate innovative features, like Youth Hub, an aggregator platform for jobs, skilling, and volunteering, while testing scalable models to create 2,500 ‘Lakhpati Didis’, aligned with the government’s vision for women entrepreneurs. If successful, the model could reach 3.5 million women across 7,000+ blocks. To strengthen digital and entrepreneurial infrastructure, the pilot will establish 100 ‘Computer Didi Centres’ run by women at the Panchayat level.
Initiative to empower young women
The Digital Girls Hub (DGH) initiative supported by the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, will enhance last-mile skilling and employment for young women by leveraging Youth Hub and rural infrastructure.
‘Didi Ki Dukaan': Retail stores to come up
Furthering economic empowerment, 250 ‘Didi Ki Dukaan’ retail stores will be set up across five blocks, offering training, branding, market linkages, and an online presence to connect local producers with wider markets.
Community Management Training Centres (CMTCs) will provide residential training, while the initiative will use CLF/SHG networks and technology to expand rural employment opportunities.
MoRD’s partnership with UNICEF YuWaah reinforces the Government of India’s commitment to fostering inclusive growth by empowering rural youth, particularly women, with the skills and resources necessary for financial independence. The initiatives outlined in the Statement of Intent have the potential to become a national model for sustainable livelihoods, ensuring that India’s women are at the forefront of the country’s economic development.
About UNICEF YuWaah
As part of the UN Youth Policy 2030, the UN Secretary-General launched UNICEF’s global Generation Unlimited (GenU) movement at the United Nations General Assembly in 2018. This initiative addresses the urgent needs of young people aged 10-24 by expanding learning, skill development, employment, and engagement opportunities.
The India chapter of Generation Unlimited, known as YuWaah, was launched in November 2019. By 2030, YuWaah at UNICEF aims to:
Create pathways for 100 million young people to access aspirational socio-economic opportunities. Enable 200 million young people to acquire relevant skills for productive lives and the future of work. Partner with 300 million young people as change-makers, providing spaces for them to develop their leadership skills.
Launched in 2019 by the Honourable Minister for Women and Children’s Development, Smriti Irani, YuWaah also received strong words of encouragement from the Honourable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, in the form of a letter of support. Follow YuWaah on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. For more information, visit www.yuwaah.org.