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Women’s Empowerment Round Table Discussion
The First lady participated in a round table discussion on issues affecting Indian women. The purpose of the discussion was to provide the First Lady an opportunity to interact with a small group of influential women who are strong advocates for empowering women in India. The eight women who participated in this discussion included:
Photo Credit: Christopher M. Wurst
Prof. Vijaya Khader, Dean of Home Science, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University
Ms. Nalini Gangadharan, Executive Director, Child and Progress (CAP), Hyderabad
Dr. Ranjana Kumari, Chairperson, Board of Governors, WomenPowerConnect and Director, Centre for Social Development
Nilofar Akhtar, Advocate, Bombay High Court
Ms. Shobana Nair, Principal, Hyderabad Public School
Ms Renana Jhabwalah, Senior Advisor and Board Member, Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA)
Dr. Suchitra Vedanth, Director, Mahila Samakhiya, Karnataka
Ms. Shobana Kamineni, Executive Director, Apollo Hospital
Several women in this discussion are USAID’s partners and received support to implement women’s empowerment programs. There are many groups in India that work to strengthen the autonomy and freedom of women and protect them from violence, both within and outside of government. The USG has worked in partnership with public and private partners to support education and vocational skills training for girls, service provision and legal aid for girls and women facing violence (including victims of trafficking), and initiatives to support women’s entrepreneurship, among others.
There was an informal exchange on issues facing women in India, and efforts in place to empower women. There were no formal presentations by the participants. Some of the questions discussed during the round table included:
1. What has the position of women in Indian society changed over the last 15-20 years, for better or worse?
2. What specific vulnerabilities do women face because of their gender and which women are most vulnerable?
3. What strategies are working to improve women’s status and increase their opportunities? What else is needed?
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