"Women are not less than anyone else" and "they have created a special place for themselves in society with their own talents and skills," the chief minister of India's Odisha state said in his message on the International Women's Day on Friday, per the Times of India.
"They have proved that the daughter is not a burden for the family but the gem of the family."
To mark the day, the state's government has launched a week-long program called "Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality" that aims to eliminate gender gaps in society and protect women's rights, reports the Times of India.
"The use of innovation and technology can eliminate disparities in education, employment, workplace and society and protect the rights of women and also help to stop violence against women," the chief minister said.
He also launched the state's new child policyPrambhawhich seeks to protect children's rights, including their education and rights to work, reports the Times.
(In the US, the International Women's Day is March 8.)
A customized collection of grant news from foundations and the federal government from around the Web.
Caroline Diehl is a serial social entrepreneur in the impact media space. She is Executive Chair and Founder of the UK’s only charitable and co-operatively owned national broadcast television channel Together TV, the leading broadcaster for social change runs a national TV channel in the UK and digital platform which helps people find inspiration to do good in their lives and communities.