Washington, DC [US], March 21 : The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Samhita's Collective Good Foundation have launched the Women's Health and Livelihood Alliance (WOHLA), to empower women in underserved communities across India by addressing the intersecting aspects of their health and economic wellbeing.
The WOHLA aims to empower women by increasing their access to sexual and reproductive health information, services, and products.
Additionally, it seeks to enhance their financial and digital literacy, thereby fostering livelihood opportunities and promoting workforce participation.
USAID Assistant Administrator for Global Health, Atul Gawande, emphasised that the WOHLA in India provides career development and job opportunities for women, and also expands access to sexual and reproductive health care services.
"When women are given the opportunity to thrive, the entire community thrives too. Women's economic security and rights is the critical foundation for communities, peace, and resilient economies. The Women's Health and Livelihood Alliance in India provides career development and job opportunities for women, and expands access to sexual and reproductive health careservices that promote gender equity and economic security for women," he said.
Amit Bhanot, India Country Director and Chief of Party, USAID's Frontier Health Market (FHM) Engage program, said that WOHLA's benefits are far-reaching and may even eliminate gender-based violence.
"WOHLA is designed to mobilize private sector resources, foster partnerships, and implement targeted interventions to cultivate an ecosystem that prioritizes the symbiotic relationship between women's reproductive health and professional advancement," he said.
Priya Naik, Founder and CEO at Samhita Social Ventures Pvt Ltd, said, "Deeply committed to advancing the well-being of women and girls through multiple WOHLA interventions, we aim to increase access to reproductive healthcare information, products and services and unlock access to livelihood interventions for empowering young women."
Meanwhile, Sandeep Varma, Chief Executive Officer, of the Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises, Ministry of Medium and Small Enterprises, emphasised that their aim is to ensure essential credit accessibility for India's medium and small enterprises.
"We are committed to scaling micro and small enterprises led by women in the healthcare sector, facilitating seamless access to finance. Our goal is to empower these enterprises to turn aspirations into tangible achievements, thereby catalyzing economic growth," he added.
Tuan Pham, Head of Social Impact at LinkedIn in Asia Pacific, said, "LinkedIn is proud to join forces with WOHLA in our shared mission to uplift and empower women in India. Through this initiative, we are dedicated to leveraging our platform's capabilities to foster positive change in women's economic opportunities and success. Together, we are not just advocating for progress - we are actively working to create a future where every woman has the resources and support needed to thrive."
Ashwini Saxena, CEO, of the JSW Foundation, highlighted that WOHLA India syncs with JSW's goal to catalyze the entrepreneurial journeys of two million rural women in India, giving them enhanced agency and incomes.
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