CHENNAI: The Government of Tamil Nadu signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Monday with UN Women, the United Nations entity dedicated to the empowerment of girls and women, and gender equality.
According to an official statement, the agreement was signed in the presence of Chief Minister MK Stalin and aims to strengthen co-operation between UN Women and the State government to advance gender equality, women's safety, and women's empowerment in Tamil Nadu.
The government said it has decided to create dedicated technical support mechanisms to promote gender equality and sustainable development focused on women's welfare. Departments such as Social Welfare and Women Empowerment, Home and Excise, and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj will be directly involved in implementing these initiatives.
In addition, a tripartite MoU was signed among UNICEF, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the Observatory of Public Sector Innovation (OPSI) to promote innovative common services and validation mechanisms for government departments and quasi-government sectors.
The MoU focuses on the creation of new infrastructure facilities, formulation of State-level innovative policies, and collaborative reform efforts. The government described the coordination of international organisations such as the OECD with the State as a significant milestone.
At a separate event, the Chief Minister released the Tamil Nadu State Indicator Framework 2.0, comprising 244 indicators aligned with 17 Sustainable Development Goals. He also released four research reports prepared by the State Planning Commission.
The studies include assessments of 61 wetlands, mapping of peri-urban areas in Tamil Nadu, an evaluation of the Chief Minister's Mann Uyir Kappom scheme, and a report on persistent anaemia among adolescent girls. The reports were presented to the Chief Minister by State Planning Commission vice-chairman J Jeyaranjan.
Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, Chief Secretary N Muruganandam, and senior officials were present at the event.