SDG 5: Gender Equality | SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure | SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
Ministry of Textiles | Ministry of Women and Child Development | Ministry of Labour & Employment | Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship |
The UN Women, Women and the World of Work Innovation Grants Initiative: 2025 Year in Review report catalogues results from the 2025 Innovation Grants Initiative, which supports locally driven, solutions-focused innovations advancing women’s economic empowerment and inclusion in labour markets worldwide.
The Women Artisans of Change project, under this initiative, has successfully revitalized India’s ancestral hand block printing sector by integrating sustainable water management with traditional craftsmanship. Recognizing that textiles are the second-largest employer of rural Indian women, the project addresses the existential threat posed by mass-market digital printing and the resulting environmental degradation.
By partnering with NIFT and the Ministry of Textiles, the initiative introduced innovative water recycling processes and clean-tech solutions to traditional clusters. A key feature included a design fellowship where young fashion students co-developed eco-friendly products with local artisans, successfully bridging the gap between 12th-century techniques and modern international market requirements.
Key Pillars of the Women Artisans of Change Initiative
Sustainable Tech Integration: Training artisans in innovative water management systems to mitigate chemical contamination and water pollution.
Design Revitalization: Facilitating fellowships between NIFT designers and rural artisans to co-create market-competitive product lines.
Institutional Formalization: Strengthening governance through an MoU with the Development Commissioner (Handlooms) to support long-term leadership.
Global Market Access: Utilizing UN networks and platforms like Bharat Tex to connect artisans directly with international buyers.
Scaling via Peer Networks: Establishing workshops that foster collaboration across different block-printing communities, aiming to reach 1,000 women weavers.
Global Context: Concurrent Innovation Grant Projects
While the India project focuses on textiles, the UN Women 2025 initiative successfully implemented 9 diverse global projects:
Pakistan: Deployment of AI-powered prosthetic arms for rural women injured in farming accidents to regain economic independence.
Liberia: Provision of renewable energy technologies (solar dryers/mills) to women-led farming cooperatives.
Lebanon: Training women farmers in satellite imagery and GIS for sustainable post-conflict land rehabilitation.
China: Art and activism campaigns (stand-up comedy/media) to challenge norms regarding migrant care workers.
Sierra Leone: Implementation of climate-smart agriculture and solar-powered irrigation systems.
Argentina: Combining traditional indigenous knowledge with modern agroforestry techniques in the Gran Chaco.
Chile: STEM education and mentorship clubs for women and girls in marginalized communities.
Papua New Guinea: Using mural painting and storytelling to advocate for gender-responsive workplace laws.
What is “Sustainable Water Management in Textiles”? In the context of hand block printing, sustainable water management refers to the implementation of closed-loop recycling systems that treat and reuse the large volumes of water required for dyeing and washing. Traditionally, the use of synthetic dyes leads to significant water pollution; however, this project introduces clean-tech filtration and recycling processes that allow artisans to recover water and safely manage effluent. This technical shift not only reduces the environmental footprint of rural clusters but also improves the health outcomes for the community while ensuring that the “Technical Fidelity” of the ancestral craft meets modern eco-certification standards.
Policy Relevance
For India, this initiative represents a transition from “Vulnerable Craft Clusters” to “Green Creative Economies,” securing the livelihoods of millions of rural women.
Standardizing “Heritage ESG”: Integrating clean-water tech into 12th-century crafts positions Indian handlooms as a premium, sustainable alternative.
Bypassing Industrial Displacement: By revitalizing ancestral blocks with modern design, the Ministry of Textiles allows artisans to bypass price-wars through high-value differentiation.
Operationalizing NIFT-Artisan Fellowships: Using NIFT as a bridge for “Implementation Fidelity” ensures that traditional designs are updated without losing cultural soul.
Federal Skill Saturation: The scaling to 1,000 weavers aligns with the VVP-II goals of providing high-tech, non-migratory employment in rural regions.
Data-Driven Gender Priorities: Highlighting women’s roles at Bharat Tex provides the “High-Quality Data” needed for evidence-based policymaking.
Follow the full update here: UN Women: 2025 Year in Review – Innovation Grants Initiative