Jammu Tawi: In a groundbreaking initiative aimed at empowering women in the leather industry, Solidaridad and the Leather Sector Skill Council (LSSC) have formalized a significant partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The MoU was signed by Mukhtarul Amin, Chairman of LSSC and Monika Khanna, Country Manager, Solidaridad-India. Sanjay Kumar, Executive Director, LSSC was also present. Amin informed that this agreement marks a pivotal moment for the leather sector, promising to deliver substantial benefits to women workers and drive forward the vision of a more inclusive and sustainable industry. The MoU is set to benefit numerous home-based women workers by providing them with specialized training and resources. This initiative is designed to enhance their skills, improve their productivity, and offer better economic opportunities. By focusing on skill development, the program aims to uplift these women from informal, low-wage positions to more skilled and higher-paying roles within the industry.Earlier in the day, “Solidaridad Resource Center” was inaugurated R.K. Jalan (Chairman, CLE), Sanjay Kumar (Executive Director, LSSC), Mukhtarul Amin (Chairman, LSSC), Anwarul Haq (President, UPLIA), Asad Iraqi (Regional Chairman, CLE), H. Rahman (President, STA, Pallavi Dubey (Regional Director, CLE), Taj Alam (Chairman- UPLIA, Unnao Chapter), Monika Khanna (Country Manager, SREC), Tatheer Zaidi (Asia Head, Pollution Management in MSMEs).The primary objective of this center is to provide training to women in the leather industry, enhance their skills, and empower them to become Independent. The center is equipped with modern machinery, supplemented by better working conditions. Expressing her enthusiasm, Monika Khanna, Country Manager, Solidaridad India, said, “Today marks a pivotal moment in our mission to empower women within the leather sector. Through this MoU, we are not only enhancing the skills of home-based workers but also paving the way for them to achieve greater economic independence and job security. Our vision is to create a more equitable industry where every woman has the opportunity to thrive and contribute to sustainable practices.” Tatheer Zaidi, Head of Pollution Management in MSMEs, Solidaridad Asia, stressed on the need for sustainable practices. His remarks underscored the importance of integrating environmental considerations into training programs to ensure that workers can adopt eco-friendly practices in their operations. Aditya Kumar Singh, Programme Manager, Kanpur, emphasized on the importance of this initiative in promoting gender equity. He highlighted that upskilling woman not only contributes to their personal and economic growth but also enhances overall industry productivity. A sustainability tool kit was also launched for Kanpur and Unnao leather cluster by R. K. Jalan, Chairman of the Council for Leather Exports (CLE). This toolkit is tailored to help industry stakeholders, also the technical strengthening of tanner capacity of the leather worker, reduce their environmental impact and adopt sustainable practices.
