Using Tech to Empower Women and Children

General Studies Paper-2

Context

The editorial highlights the significant role of technology in integrating and empowering various initiatives under the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) in India.

• This digital transformation aligns with the government’s vision of a “digitally empowered India” and the broader goal of “Viksit Bharat@2047”.

Key Dimensions of the Transformation

• Digital Public Infrastructure and Real-Time Governance:
  • The Poshan Tracker enables real-time data entry, performance monitoring, and evidence-based policy interventions across Anganwadi centres, streamlining record-keeping and reducing manual errors.
  • Anganwadi workers are equipped with smartphones and trained in digital tools, ensuring last-mile delivery and monitoring of services.
• Modernisation of Anganwadi Centres:
  • The Saksham Anganwadi initiative aims to upgrade over 2 lakh centres with smart infrastructure and digital devices, enhancing the quality of nutrition, healthcare, and pre-school education.
• Targeted Welfare and Financial Inclusion:
  • Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) uses a fully digital, Aadhaar-based system for registration and benefit transfers, ensuring transparency and reducing leakages.
  • The use of facial recognition in the Supplementary Nutrition Programme further minimises the risk of ineligible beneficiaries receiving support.
• Women’s Safety and Legal Empowerment:
  • SHe-Box portal provides a single-window online platform for lodging and tracking complaints of sexual harassment at the workplace, ensuring timely redressal.
  • Mission Shakti dashboard and app connect women in distress to the nearest support centre, integrating assistance and improving response times.
• Child Protection and Adoption Ecosystem:
  • The CARINGS portal streamlines and digitises the adoption process, making it more transparent and accessible.
  • Mission Vatsalya dashboard and platforms by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights enable better monitoring of child care institutions and rights violations.
• Tangible Outcomes:
  • Sex Ratio at Birth improved from 918 (2014-15) to 930 (2023-24).
  • Maternal Mortality Rate declined from 130 (2014-16) to 97 per 1,000 births (2018-20).
  • Over 10.14 crore beneficiaries (pregnant women, lactating mothers, children under six, adolescent girls) are registered on the Poshan Tracker.

Strengths

• Transparency and Accountability: Digital systems reduce corruption and leakages by enabling direct benefit transfers and real-time monitoring.
• Inclusivity: Technology bridges the urban-rural divide, ensuring that even remote populations have access to government services.
• Empowerment: Women and children are not just recipients but are positioned as potential leaders and change-makers.

Challenges

• Digital Literacy: Older Anganwadi workers may struggle with new technology, preferring traditional record-keeping methods.
• Language Barriers: Software interfaces often default to English, which may not be accessible for all frontline workers.
• Technical Limitations: Issues like lack of auto-update or delete options in the Poshan Tracker can hinder data accuracy and correction.
• Infrastructure Gaps: Reliable internet and electricity are still inconsistent in some rural areas.

Way Forward

• Capacity Building: Continuous training for Anganwadi workers in local languages.
• User-Centric Design: Customising digital tools to be more intuitive and regionally adaptable.
• Infrastructure Investment: Ensuring robust digital and physical infrastructure in rural areas.
• Feedback Mechanisms: Regularly updating digital platforms based on user feedback from the ground.