GJEPC Launches UNNATI to Empower Women and Strengthen India’s Jewellery Industry
GJEPC has launched UNNATI in Surat to strengthen women’s participation and leadership across India’s gems and jewellery sector, with skilling, entrepreneurship, healthcare and recognition initiatives.
Dubai, 5 Oct 2026: The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) has launched ‘UNNATI – Powering Women in Gems & Jewellery’, a national initiative aimed at strengthening women’s participation, skills and leadership across India’s gems and jewellery industry.
The initiative was launched in Surat, Gujarat, at Sardar Patel Smruti Bhavan, with the presence of Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Shri Harsh Sanghavi and Rajya Sabha MP Shri Govind Dholakia. The programme is aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047 and GJEPC’s ambition of achieving US$100 billion in gem and jewellery exports by 2040.
More than 1,100 women from the industry, including homemakers, students and aspiring professionals, participated in the launch. In its first phase, UNNATI aims to register at least 200 women for specialised skilling programmes covering areas such as diamond sorting, polishing, jewellery design, CAD, wax setting, metal setting, jewellery polishing and retail sales.
UNNATI is built around five key pillars: Inspire & Engage, Develop & Empower, Connect & Collaborate, Enable & Accelerate, and Transform & Lead. The programme focuses on skills development, leadership, mentoring, business opportunities, access to funding and creating more progressive workplaces for women.
As part of the launch, GJEPC also announced free medical insurance coverage of up to ₹1 lakh for 1,000 women Ratnakalars under its Ratnakalar Parichay Card initiative.
The inaugural UNNATI Awards also recognised companies and women contributing to a more inclusive jewellery industry, while women nominated by 50 companies received certificates recognising their skills and contributions.
The Surat launch is the beginning of a wider national programme. GJEPC plans to take UNNATI to major gems and jewellery clusters across India, creating broader pathways for women to build skills, careers, businesses and leadership opportunities.
