Dr. Charu WaliKhanna Member NCW, attended seminar on “Scheme of Handicrafts- the Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hastship Vikas Yojana” at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), Auditorium, New Delhi. The programme was organized by the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) Northern Region, Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of India, 

The participants among others comprised large number of women artisans, SHG leaders and representatives of different NGOs/Societies and State/Central Handicraft Development Corporations who are involved in implementing the Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hastship Vikas Yojana (AHVY) scheme, a flagship scheme aimed at sustainable development of the identified craft clusters and artisans working therein. 

Dr. Charu WaliKhanna Members NCW said it is heartening to know that such a large number of women stakeholders are involved in the handicraft sector. She highlighted the contribution of women in Indian handicraft exports and economic development of the nation. She said that various sources of ambiguity or omission of official estimates of employment are often based on theoretical constructs such as the ' full - time job equivalent', which understate the number of people, specially women who depend on crafts as part of their livelihood. She stressed that the role of women is particularly important and handicrafts development can help create employment opportunities for further marginalized groups such as widows, tribals and groups with low social status, Member NCW made a power point presentation and spoke on length on the need to integrate in the modern economic system and on the need to register under The Geographical Indications (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999.

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