Kerala is hosting the country’s first  global conference on gender equality titled “International Conference on Gender Equality” (ICGE -1) from November 12-14 in Kovalam.
The motive behind this conference is to reduce gender inequality in India and increase female work participation rates.
Participants – Hundreds of scholars and policymakers from the country and around 40 from overseas.
Organisers – Green Park, an institution under the Kerala Government in association with UN Women.Green Park is responsible for the successful all-women cab service “She Taxi”.
Theme – Gender, Governance and Inclusion.The theme of the conference focuses on the urgent need for a transformative agenda to move towards greater inclusion and gender equality.
Important Issues to be discussed
Concerns on the status of women, issues relating to transgenders and other sexual minorities in the country.Issues like citizenship, globalisation, work, governance, health, education, disability and the role of media will be discussed during 3 days conference.Kerala’s draft policy on transgender rights will also be discussed.The conference aims to entail an informative and interactive program that will include plenary sessions, thematic paper presentations and panel discussions by gender experts from around the world and poster presentations by young scholars.

Recent Indian government steps to promote Gender Equality:
1. Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana
- also known as girl child prosperity scheme.
- to ensure a bright future for girl children in India.
- The Sukanya Samriddhi Account Yojana,is to facilitate them proper education and carefree marriage expenses.
- It offers a small deposit investment for the girl children as an initiative under ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ campaign. 

2. Beti Bachao Beti Padhao
-  Nodal Ministry : Ministry of Women and Child Development.
- Objectives: 
a. Prevention of gender biased sex selective elimination
b. Ensuring survival & protection of the girl child
c. Ensuring education and participation of the girl child.