EquiLead Lab: April Newsletter

Event Invitation, Exclusive Forum Insights, Latest Updates, and More! ___________________________________________________________________________

“One of the criticisms I’ve faced over the years is that I’m not aggressive enough or assertive enough, or maybe somehow, because I’m empathetic, it means I’m weak. I totally rebel against that. I refuse to believe that you cannot be both compassionate and strong.”

- Jacinda Ardern, Former Prime Minister of New Zealand.

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Welcome to the April edition of EquiLead Lab! 

We're thrilled to extend an invitation to our upcoming LIVE event - Transitioning to the Social Impact Sector , promising a wealth of insights to enrich your career journey. In addition, we'd also like to invite you to join our LinkedIn community group which will provide you with a space to share resources, connect with mentors and supporters, and exchange ideas with others passionate about social impact.

We recently hosted roundtables in Delhi and Bengaluru , sparking important conversations around women’s leadership in the fields of Law and Economics. While we were in Bengaluru, we also hosted conversations around the feminist approach to climate change at Climate Asia’s conference and held a workshop on women's leadership in the climate sector - you will find all the key takeaways in this edition.

And yes, we released our first episode of The EquiLead Dialogues with a special guest. This edition also brings news from the sector, a report highlight, and career opportunities. Let's dive in!   ___________________________________________________________________________________

Upcoming Event: LinkedIn Audio Live

Join us for our LinkedIn LIVE Audio event as we explore 'Transitioning to the Social Impact Sector: From Journalism to Communications'. Delve into the inspiring career journeys of our distinguished speakers and unlock invaluable insights for your professional growth!

What's in it for You?

🔸Gain insights from real-life examples of successful transitions from journalism to impactful roles in the social sector.

🔸Unlock actionable strategies for identifying suitable career paths, translating journalist skills into transferable skills, and curating effective resumes.

🔸Overcome challenges with firsthand accounts and effective career navigation tips.

Speakers for the session:

Sanjana Chowhan - Communications Coach and Strategic Communications Consultant

Aiswarya Ananthapadmanabhan - Co-Lead, EquiLead

Mitalee Shekhawat - Consultant - Strategic Communications, EquiLead (Moderator)

Join the LIVE here

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Work Opportunities

Work With Us

• MEL Expert

Are you interested in interning with us? If so, we'd love to hear from you! Send your CV to letstalk@equilead.org

Job Opportunities

• C-level Hiring (10 openings)
• Program and Project Management Roles (12 openings)
• Fundraising and Partnership Roles (8 openings)  

Other Opportunities

• Climate Gender Equity Fund  
• CPRG Governance Fellowship
• SEWA Fellowship  

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EquiLead Community is now LIVE! 

EquiLead Community  is now LIVE on LinkedIn! With this, we aspire to build a movement for women's leadership and gender-equitable workplaces in the social impact space in India. We invite you to join a powerful community of women professionals across development sectors – NGOs, CSR, social enterprises, and entrepreneurs; and organisational representatives committed to making their workplaces gender equitable.

This is a space to share work opportunities and resources, connect with mentors and supporters, and a forum to exchange ideas and challenges faced on your leadership journey. We envision this as a community of driven individuals and institutions who can lead the change towards a more inclusive and equitable sector, where women can thrive.

Join our LinkedIn Community Here

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Leadership Voices from Law and Economics

After the insightful Roundtable in Mumbai on 20th March 2024 on Navigating Pathways to Women’s Leadership in Law and Economics, EquiLead and Co-Impact took the conversations to the cities of Delhi and Bengaluru in April.

The convenings brought together distinguished experts, thought leaders and practitioners from the domains of law and economics who discussed institutional and systemic pathways that could contribute to sustainably accelerating women’s professional leadership in both these sectors. All roundtables also gave us a critical avenue to present findings from a landscaping study, spark discussions, and garner insights that further crystallised practices and priorities to be looked at.

Key themes that emerged from the discussions at both roundtables include:

• Challenges faced by women include bias, lack of mentorship, and difficulty navigating informal networks.
• What does large-scale systemic change look like to drive gender equality in law and economics?
• Role of organisations to attract more women to join their workforce and create conducive pathways for their growth into leadership positions. The convenings brought together distinguished experts, thought leaders and practitioners from the domains of law and economics who discussed institutional and systemic pathways that could contribute to sustainably accelerating women’s professional leadership in both these sectors. All roundtables also gave us a critical avenue to present findings from a landscaping study, spark discussions, and garner insights that further crystallised practices and priorities to be looked at.

Key themes that emerged from the discussions at both roundtables include:

• Challenges faced by women include bias, lack of mentorship, and difficulty navigating informal networks.
• What does large-scale systemic change look like to drive gender equality in law and economics?
• Role of organisations to attract more women to join their workforce and create conducive pathways for their growth into leadership positions. 

Here are some recommendations from the participants ___________________________________________________________________________________

Inaugural Episode of The EquiLead Dialogues

In our inaugural episode of The EquiLead Dialogues, we were delighted to host Priyanka Gupta (Program Manager - India, Leadership for Growth, Amani Institute & Co-Founder - Rajalka Consulting ). Our discussion centered around the theme of ‘Empowering Women for Leadership: Actions for Organisational Leaders’.

Some of the key themes that Priyanka highlighted were:

Community Matters: Emphasised that true empowerment comes from community. When people work together and support each other, especially women, it creates a powerful force for positive change.

The Power of Mentorship: Mentorship is crucial for developing leaders. Whether you're a mentor or a leader yourself, the conversation highlights the importance of guiding and inspiring your team to reach their full potential.

Lead by Example: The best leaders are those who walk the talk. Emphasised the power of role models who not only talk about leadership principles but actively embody them, creating a culture of excellence within their teams.

Inclusion Matters: Highlighted the importance of creating a path to leadership that's open to everyone. Dedication and perseverance are essential for fostering an environment where all individuals, regardless of background, can flourish and rise to leadership roles.

Through Priyanka's insights, we gleaned invaluable perspectives on actionable steps for organisational leaders to champion gender equality and empower women in leadership roles. 

Watch the full episode here .

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Blogs from the EquiLead Desk

Generosity, Learning, and Curiosity: An Inspiring Conversation with Priyanka Dutt

Feminist Approach to Climate Action: Insights from Panel Discussion at Climate Asia Conference

EquiLead Workshop Recap: Empowering Women to Shatter the Green Ceiling

The Power of Listening: Reflections from EquiLead's Virtual Listening Circle

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Women @ Work 2024: A Global Outlook

The fourth edition of the Deloitte Women @ Work 2024: A Global Outlook report examines some critical workplace and social factors that affect their work. Based on views of over 5,000 women from organisations across 10 countries, the report highlights the challenges that women face at the workplace and by extension in their careers.

Key statistics from the report:

• 27% women say they have experienced challenges related to menstruation, menopause, or fertility. More than 40% of women who experience high levels of pain due to menstruation say they work through it without taking time off work. 
• Women are still shouldering most of the responsibility for childcare, domestic work, and, increasingly, care for other adults— even if they’re the primary earner in the household.
• Only one in 10 women believe that their employer is taking concrete steps on gender equality and only a quarter see a gender-diverse leadership team at their employer.
• 75% women want to progress into a senior leadership position at their organisation, 25% do not because of culture.  

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Gender Watch

Naima Khatoon becomes first woman Vice-Chancellor of AMU

Breaking a century-old glass ceiling, President Droupadi Murmu has appointed Professor Naima Khatoon as the first woman Vice-Chancellor of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). Prof Khatoon is an eminent psychologist with the PhD in Political Psychology. She took over as the principal of AMU Women's College in July 2014.

Read more here

Senior Swiss women prevail in landmark climate case at Europe's human rights court

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled in favour of a group of elderly Swiss women who  argued that their government's inadequate efforts to combat climate change put them at risk of dying during heat waves.

The European court's decision on the case, brought by more than 2,000 women, could have a ripple effect across Europe and beyond, setting a precedent for how some courts deal with the rising tide of climate litigation argued on the basis of human rights infringements.