Women Empowerment, CSR &HRD

India did not perform well in removing gender-based disparities and ranked 108th out of 145 countries in 2015, 114th out of 142 countries in 2014 and 101st among 136 countries in 2013 in Gender Gap Index at World Economic Forum. Even companies such as Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) where women workforce comprises of one-third of its employees, women are still scarce at the company's leadership rank and non-existent at the board level. Gender policy has been found to be lacking even in majority of the Indian companies and less is to be said about women in underdeveloped and rural areas. Lack of literacy and poor education initiatives, low awareness on health issues, absence of decision making authority in family are some of the factors responsible for existing condition of women in rural areas. Corporate social initiatives are needed at policy level, such as skilling and employment of women and require involvement of public-private partnership in such efforts. Paper attempts at examining Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives of Corporate Human Resource Development (HRD) departments of organizations which are need of the hour and may include assistance in formation of self-help groups amongst local girls and women in underdeveloped areas around them, encouraging their entrepreneurial spirit, training them through establishment of skill-development initiatives and educating them on vital areas such as crime against women, competency development, stress management and time management.