India has made a $1million contribution to the core voluntary budget of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women for the financial year 2012-2013.

India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri handed over the cheque to UN Women Executive Director Michele Bachelet here yesterday.

The contribution constitutes the third instalment of India’s multi-year pledge to provide $5 million as core predictable funding to UN Women’s resources and takes its total contribution so far to UN Women to $3 million.

Puri also reaffirmed the Indian Government’s “steadfast commitment to the goals of gender equality, empowerment of women and gender mainstreaming enshrined in the mandate of UN Women,” a statement from India’s mission to the UN said.

India is one of the founding members of the Executive Board of the UN Women and is currently serving on the board.