Kerala’s Gender Park a model for whole world: CM, Also Unveils iWTC model
Kozhikode / February 14, 2021
Kerala Chief Minister Shri Pinarayi Vijayan today announced the functional launch of The Gender Park campus in Kozhikode, noting that the Rs 200-crore endeavour will enable women and transgender individuals to become sustainable entrepreneurs.
“The Gender Park sets a model for not just the country, but the whole world,” the Chief Minister said, after declaring open a Gender Museum, Gender Library, Convention Centre and an amphitheatre that form the first phase of the pioneering project aimed at boosting gender equality in the subcontinent.
At the Gender Park campus in suburban Vellimadukunnu, he also laid the foundation of an International Women’s Trade and Research Centre (iWTC) that envisages a secure and sustained ecosystem for women entrepreneurs. He also unveiled a model of the multi-storey complex and a space for them to market products.
“The Gender Park should have happened long ago, but we should be happy we have realised it at least now,” Shri Vijayan said at the Park, where a three-day International Conference on Gender Equality (ICGE) by the state government concluded its second edition on Saturday evening.
“We had made moves for The Gender Park almost a decade ago,” he added, emphasising the need for an egalitarian society.
Minister for Health, Social Justice and Women and Child Development Smt K K Shailaja, chairing the ceremony that adhered to the Covid-19 protocol, said the government will bring out a policy to promote social entrepreneurship among women and transgender individuals.
Also, the deliberations at ICGE-II are poised to make their way into a policy framework, which the Gender Park and UN Women will submit to the Kerala government as recommendations for social inclusiveness and sustainable social business. “We will collate the observations and opinions of the experts who addressed the three-day event,” she added, a day after the 16-session summit that featured 90 speakers from 20 countries. The hybrid conclave was organised by the state government’s Department of Women and Child Development in association with UN Women, a body by the United Nations.
Smt Nishtha Satyam, Deputy Country Representative of UN Women (MCO - India, Bhutan, Maldives, Sri Lanka), hailed the opening of The Gender Park campus as a “historic step” towards the empowerment of women and transgender people. “We will go ahead to ensure that our association with the Kerala government brings out solid results in the years to come,” she added.
Other special addresses at the function were delivered by US Consul General (Chennai) Smt Judith Ravin and Smt Julie Ann Guivarra, Ambassador for Gender Equality, Australia.
The other speakers included legislators Shri A Pradeepkumar and Purushan Kadalundy; Kozhikode Mayor Smt Beena Philip; transgender activist Dr Akkai Padmashali and social worker Dr Mallika Sarabhai (Advisor, Gender Park).
The Gender Park CEO Dr P T M Sunish welcomed the gathering and Kerala State Planning Board Member Dr Mridul Eapen proposed thanks.
The upcoming iWTC will have ten sections. These include a women’s-only startup incubation centre, the world’s first of its kind. The other wings will be a business facilitator, space for rent and retail trade, a conference centre, performing arts centre, space for sustainable development, essential skillsets, women’s health and welfare centre, and residential facilities for the parents and children of the women workers at the Gender Park.
Photo Caption : CM_Gender Park Inaug Pic 1: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurating The Gender Park campus at Vellimadukunnu, Kozhikode on Sunday. K K Shailaja Teacher, Minister for Health, Social Justice, Women and Child Development, A Pradeep Kumar, MLA, Dr PTM Sunish, CEO of The Gender Park are also seen.
CM_Gender Park Inaug Pic 2: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan delivering the inaugural speech at the launch of The Gender Park campus at Vellimadukunnu, Kozhikode on Sunday.Jameela Kanathil, Kozhikode District Panchayat President, Dr Beena Philip, Mayor, Kozhikode, K K Shailaja Teacher, Minister for Health, Social Justice, Women and Child Development, A Pradeep Kumar, MLA, Dr PTM Sunish, CEO of The Gender Park are also seen.
