Women account for 48% of India’s population, but have not been equal beneficiaries of the country’s economic growth. India slipped to the 112th spot (from its 108th position in 2018) in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index 2020 which covered 153 economies. Only one-quarter of women compared with 82% of men, engage actively in the labour market - one of the lowest participation rates in the world. Women account for 14% of leadership roles and 30% of professional and technical workers. Female political representation remains a concern too: 14.4% of the parliament and 23% of the cabinet.
The ongoing COVID 19 pandemic has also served to accentuate the problem.
In 2013, CII launched the Indian Women Network (IWN) with a vision of co-creatingecosystems that enable women to live up to their full economic potential. Through advocacy, knowledge creation and on-ground interventions, IWN strives to promote equal opportunities for women to participate, grow and flourish in the Indian economy. With presence in 16 States, 8 Zones and 1 Union Territory across India, IWN actively engage its members on leadership, wellbeing, gender diversity, mentorship &networking.
IWN works towards enabling women to become better professionals and achievers in their respective fields through initiatives and activities to facilitate a supportive network; a platform to learn and exchange ideas and an avenue to network and grow. This is supplemented by exposing women to new opportunities presented by the ecosystem with the objective of inclusion and growth of women in the workforce and in enhancing their contribution to the progress of India.
IWN is spread around the country; in the cities of Delhi, Chandigarh, Rajasthan, Assam, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Aurangabad, Pune, Kolhapur, Indore, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore, Salem and Erode.
With 9 active chapters across Southern States, IWN is actively engaging its members across policy advocacy, leadership, wellbeing, gender diversity, mentorship and networking. IWN works to ensure that women are an intrinsic & equitable partners in the workforce through initiatives that will have an impact on their lives, livelihood and in getting growth back. In line with the CII’s theme for its 125th year, ‘Building India for the New World’, IWN pledges to build an inclusive, sustainable and a balanced nation by instilling gender parity across all forms of economic participation.
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