BusinessWire India
New Delhi [India], September 17: At EdelGive Foundation, fostering women’s leadership is a core pillar of their work. With the launch of ‘womenAccelerate: Voice of Emerging Women Leaders,’ as part of the Stree-Leads campaign, EdelGive Foundation continues to champion the rise of dynamic women leaders, amplifying their impact in the professional world. This new initiative aims to accelerate the advancement of women professionals to leadership roles within the private sector, addressing critical barriers to gender equity in the workplace.
While gender diversity is recognized as essential for driving organizational and societal progress, women remain significantly underrepresented in leadership positions across India. A recent report by EdelGive highlights that advancing gender equality could add a staggering $770 billion to India’s GDP by 2025, underlining the economic urgency of empowering women. Despite this potential, systemic challenges such as gender biases, unequal pay, limited access to mentorship, and entrenched cultural norms continue to hinder women’s leadership journeys, especially in sectors like finance and economics where women are traditionally underserved. A recent LinkedIn study found that women’s role in leadership positions remain alarmingly low with only 20.1% serving and directors and 17.4% of leadership positions in C-Suites are attained by women.
Recognizing these barriers, EdelGive Foundation’s Stree-Leads campaign is designed to foster an enabling environment for women’s advancement. The initiative builds on the insights gleaned from the Foundation’s study, Pathways to Promote Women in Leadership in Finance and Economics, and aims to promote actionable solutions for accelerating women’s representation in leadership.
Speaking on the initiative, Naghma Mulla, CEO of EdelGive Foundation, said, “We firmly believe that women’s economic empowerment is central to India’s growth. With the Stree-Leads womenAccelerate initiative, we seek to harness the lived experiences of women professionals to identify effective pathways for overcoming challenges and advancing to leadership roles. The solutions generated through this initiative will shape the future of gender diversity and equity in India’s private sector.”
The initiative will culminate in a compendium, womenAccelerate: Voice of Emerging Women Leaders, featuring innovative ideas and actionable recommendations proposed by women professionals themselves for addressing the core challenges that women face in their leadership journeys. These emerging women leaders will be chosen by an esteemed jury, including Nirupama Rao, Former Foreign Secretary of India, Nidhi Bhasin, CEO, NASSCOM Foundation, Aparna Uppaluri, Advisor -Philanthropy & Impact, Former COO, Tata Trusts and Paula Mariwala, Founding Partner, Aureolis Ventures.
Key Objectives of the Initiative:
* Create a Platform: Provide women a platform to spotlight their voices and highlight valuable insights from their professional journey.
* Promote Gender Diversity: Foster a culture of inclusivity within organizations by advocating for increased representation of women in leadership roles.
* Identify Best Practices: Showcase innovative strategies that have successfully supported women’s progression to leadership positions.
* Facilitate Collaboration: Encourage knowledge-sharing and collaboration between women professionals, corporations, NGOs, and government bodies to collectively address leadership barriers.
* Policy Engagement: Provide a platform for women professionals to influence policies impacting their career development and leadership journeys.
The Stree-Leads womenAccelerate initiative will be rolled out in stages, starting with an open call for ideas from women professionals across India. The top submissions will undergo a rigorous review by an expert panel, followed by a virtual mentorship program. The final compendium will be launched on International Women’s Day 2025, marking a key milestone in advancing women’s leadership in India.
Join the initiative by filling out the form and get an opportunity to be featured in the compendium: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdfOT04x1zqjJfmcK7zZuyBHXOyLNwWO67MDuoR2Oe1O4B6AA/viewform
EdelGive Foundation calls on aspiring women leaders in the private sector to participate in this vital initiative by submitting their innovative ideas for accelerating women’s leadership. This initiative not only provides a platform for women to contribute to shaping inclusive workplaces but also creates a roadmap for organizations to adopt best practices that promote gender diversity at the top.
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