United Nations, Dec 7 (IANS): India has contributed $1 million to the core voluntary budget of UN Women (United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women) for the financial year 2013- 2014.

This contribution constitutes the fourth installment of India's multi-year pledge to provide five million dollars as core predictable funding to UN Women's resources, and takes India's existing contribution to $ 4 million to UN Women, so far.

India's Permanent Representative to the UN Asoke K Mukerji handed over a cheque for the amount Friday to Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Under Secretary General and Executive Director of UN Women.

Mukerji also reaffirmed India's steadfast commitment to the goals of gender equality, the empowerment of women and gender mainstreaming, as enshrined in the mandate of UN Women.

He also encouraged UN Women to focus on increasing the use of ICT and new technologies for empowerment of women.

India was one of the founding members of the Executive Board of the UN Women.