Delhi skill university, UNDP to promote entrepreneurship for women

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University (DSEU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Thursday signed an agreement aimed at improving access to employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for women in the national capital.

Through the agreement, the UNDP in India will extend support to the DSEU in the Women Works fellowship programme. The skills university launched the Women Works Programme (WWP) in August 2022 in collaboration with the Delhi government's Department of Women and Child Development.

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"For UNDP in India, promoting inclusive growth with a focus on enhancing access to skills, employment, and entrepreneurship for marginalized communities, particularly women and young people, is a priority area," the university said in a statement.

Professor Amita Dev, Vice Chancellor, DSEU, noted that the initiative will help the university to reach out to the community to enhance skilling and entrepreneurship aspirations of the youth, particularly women. "All of us know at least one woman in our immediate community that is using her skills and has set up a small shop, be it our cook or neighbourhood tailor," Dev said.

"All of them are entrepreneurs already, we are not going to teach them anything exceptional. What we aim through this programme is to handhold them in identifying the opportunities, gaining expertise, understanding their market and other possibilities and to be with them in their journey of becoming entrepreneurs," she added.

Speaking on the partnership, Dennis Curry, Deputy Resident Representative, UNDP India, said women's participation is critical to accelerating a nation's progress. "UNDP is working to economically empower women through skill development, entrepreneurship opportunities, market linkages, and the promotion of non-traditional livelihoods. We are happy to partner with DSEU and strengthen our work on women-led development," she added.