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    ET Women's Forum: An event that proved there was optimism even when the statistics looked grim

    Synopsis

    The event showcased how women are leading change and supporting others in their journey to become equal stakeholders in an unequal world.

    ET Women's Forum: An event that proved there was optimism even when the statistics looked grimORIndia has a precious opportunity that it is overlooking & underutilising: Cherie Blair
    The inaugural ET Women’s Forum showcased how women are leading change and supporting others in their journey to become equal stakeholders in an unequal world. The confluence of select voices with their own stories of conviction and courage outlined how women can have parity in ease of access to resources and opportunities and get themselves heard better.

    An eclectic mix of distinct voices converged in Mumbai on Friday as some of the brightest minds came together to chart out a road map to unleash the power of half a billion—the women of India. At the inaugural ET Women’s Forum, presented by Facebook, global influencers and champions of woman’s empowerment held out the promise of change with their stories and inspired women to become part of the global and national decision-making.

    The confluence of select voices with their own stories of conviction and courage outlined how women at work, in sports, in art, in politics, in the development sector, on company boards, as entrepreneurs, in the family business, can get themselves heard better to become equal stakeholders in an unequal world.

    A worrisome statistic caught the attention of many a speaker at the forum. The World Economic Forum in its Global Gender Gap Report 2017 said that some of the most challenging gender gaps remain in the economic sphere. At the current rate of change, closing the economic gender gap will now take 217 years.

    Also Read: ET Women's Forum - Complete Coverage

    “To my mind, that is 216 too many,” said Cherie Blair, founder of the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, in her inaugural address at the forum. Blair said women are so much more than a one-dimensional statistic, adding that the world is at a tipping point in the history of women.

    “India has a precious opportunity that it is overlooking and underutilising. And that opportunity is the boundless potential of Indian women as business owners, job creators, and leaders in their community,” Blair told the audience.

    The speakers and panellists who laid the groundwork for tapping the power of half a billion included Andrea Jung, president and CEO, Grameen America; Annette Dixon, World Bank vice-president, South Asia; Fawzia Koofi, Afghan MP and women’s rights activist; family business scions; startup founders; women politicians; social change agents; women in cinema, sports; trailblazers and outliers.

    Across the wide array of fields, there was optimism even when the statistics looked grim.

    Talking about women on company boards, Jung said, “Having been the only woman on a board for years, one woman on boards is not enough--there is strength in numbers.” Something that found resonance with former Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) chairman M Damodaran, who advocated having at least two women on each company board, at least one of whom should be independent.

    Dixon talked about ways to remove barriers for women in the labour market as this was an opportune time to revisit and reform outdated legislation and policies that act as deterrents. “Fostering the creation of better jobs, providing support for the child and elder care, and ensuring mobility to and from work can remove significant structural barriers for women to access employment,” she said.

    A recurring theme at the forum was women learning to lead the charge and supporting other women when it came to dealing with the issues they face. Be it reservation for women in politics, finding mentors at work, seeking funding for their startups, empowering other women as leaders.

    The entrepreneurial ecosystem needed more women role models, said Rajan Anandan, India managing director and vice-president, Southeast Asia, Google.

    Blair exhorted women to think inclusively, act inclusively and enlist male allies. Jung spurred women to fire themselves on Friday evening and rehire themselves on Monday morning. This would allow women to reinvent themselves and it would act as a catalyst for that reinvention. Women are born with an extra guilt gene that needs to be fixed, said Shobana Kamineni, president, Confederation of Indian Industry, who spoke on the complex yet important issue of ‘Breaking the Boys’ Club’.

    For the audience and participants, the event, whose celebration partner was Diageo, was a medley of diversity and uniqueness. Such as when Miss World 2017 Manushi Chhillar put forth her perspective between the sessions on women entrepreneurs and getting women on boards.

    Tor A Dahlstrom, consul, deputy head of mission, Norwegian consulate, Mumbai, and one of the few male audience members at the event, said, “It was a very interesting session which threw a lot of light on Indian society in general. It was an educational experience of sorts for me.”

    Anjali Verma, a member of the audience said: “I have worked in India and across the Middle East and Canada but I found this event to be unique and the only one of its kind. This forum can go on to be a game changer in the future.”

    For panelist Aanchal Thakur, who is an alpine skier, it was all about drawing inspiration. “We got to know each other, and we got inspired by stories of people across spheres,” she said--words that echoed the underlying sentiment of the daylong gathering.

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