♦ The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) has signed a Statement of Intent (SOI) with UNICEF YuWaah to create livelihood opportunities and enhance female workforce participation in rural India on 27 March 2025.

♦ The three-year partnership aims to connect women from Self-Help Groups (SHGs) with employment, entrepreneurship, and skill development programs.

♦ The SOI was signed by T.K. Anil Kumar, Additional Secretary, MoRD, and Sharada Thapalia, Deputy Representative (Operations), UNICEF India.

♦ This collaboration aligns with the Rural Prosperity and Resilience Programme outlined in the 2025-26 Union Budget.

♦ The partnership will also introduce the “Youth Hub,” an aggregator platform for jobs, skilling, and volunteering, as well as scalable models to create “Lakhpati Didis,” promoting women entrepreneurs in rural India.