NCAER, in collaboration with The World Bank’s Office of the Chief Economist of the South Asia Region, organised a discussion on ‘Working Women: Policy Options to Raise Female Employment in India’ on its campus.
At the outset, NCAER Director General Dr Poonam Gupta and the World Bank’s Chief Economist for South Asia Dr Franziska Ohnsorge made their presentations, which was followed by the panel discussion, moderated by NCAER’s Prof Sonalde Desai. The panelists were Prof Ashwini Deshpande (Ashoka University), Prof A.K. Shiva Kumar (Visiting Professor, Harvard University) and Dr Anuradha Guru (Economic Advisor, Ministry of Finance).
The discussion was held on the back of the release of the World Bank’s South Asia Update which says nearly two-thirds of working-age women are out of the labour force in the region.
In her opening remarks, Dr Gupta said, “We need to target institutional and societal causes creating the gender gap in employment, while simultaneously making it easier, safer, remunerative, and professionally rewarding for women to join the workforce and for their families and communities to support these decisions.”
The mindset needs to change, Dr Gupta said and added, “Given the enormity of the challenge and its persistence, a holistic gender strategy consisting of fiscal, administrative and regulatory measures besides public messaging is needed.”
Citing the just released report, Ohnsorge said if women worked in as productive jobs as men, the GDP in South Asian region could go up by upto 51% and that no single measure could achieve any major increase in women in employment. Calling South Asia, particularly India, a bright spot, she said growth could be much higher if the untapped potential of women is unlocked.
She called for encouraging remote working opportunities, ensuring safety at workplaces, enforcement of gender-equal laws and favourable social norms for women working outside their homes.
Initiating the panel discussion, Prof Desai said the existing social norms kept women back at home.
Referring to Dr Gupta’s call for developing a care economy to cater to the young, the ailing and the elderly, Prof Desai suggested using MGNREGA workers for child care activities, which, she said, could both generate jobs and free up mothers’ time for paid work.
Earlier, the NCAER DG also said an “uncomfortably large number of glass ceilings remain intact even now”. “Lack of women’s leadership is not a pipeline issue. It is a mindset issue. Pipelines can be built with committed intent,” she added.
Asked about data capturing women’s participation, Prof Deshpande said there is ‘mis-measurement’ as there is an underestimation of women’s work which maybe seen as part of family enterprise.
Noting improvement in several parameters over the years, Prof Shiva Kumar said focus needed to be on healthcare and quality school education to increase female participation in employment.
Dr Anuradha Guru listed improved participation of women in government’s skilling schemes like Apprenticeship program, ITIs and others from 2016-17 to now. She also added that the care economy and the agriculture sector could see participation of more women.
The Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA), in collaboration with the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) and Jagan Nath University, Jaipur, hosted a workshop focused on “Widening Financial Inclusivity: Role of Investor Education and Protection in the Modern Era.” The workshop aimed to highlight the pivotal role of financial literacy in enhancing inclusivity and protecting investors in today’s rapidly evolving financial landscape.
The event featured a distinguished panel of speakers, including Dr. C.S. Mohapatra, IEPF Chair Professor at NCAER as the Moderator and Speaker; Dr. Jitender Bhandari, Associate Professor and Academic Coordinator, Dept. of Economics, Christ University, Delhi-NCR; Dr. Bhawana Sharma, Professor of Finance and Head of Women Cell, Poornima University, Jaipur; Dr. Sandeep Varshneya, Associate Professor and Pan Area Chair – Finance, Jaipuria Institute of Management, Jaipur; and Mr. Sandeep Jain, Financial Market Analyst and Co-founder & Director of Tradeswift Broking Pvt. Ltd. They shared valuable insights on the role of financial literacy as a key driver for empowering individuals. By equipping them with the knowledge to make informed investment decisions and protect themselves from fraud and digital scams, financial education becomes a crucial defense mechanism.
The Workshop was inaugurated by the Welcome address of Shri Tanmay Pattnayak, Registrar of Jagan Nath University, Jaipur and Inaugural address of Prof. (Dr.) Vaishali Sharma, Vice Chancellor of Jagan Nath University, Jaipur. They emphasized the growing importance of educating and empowering individuals with the necessary financial tools to foster inclusivity, especially in semi-urban and rural areas and lauded about the first ever such collaborative event organised in collaboration with IEPFA and NCAER.
The main highlight of the event was Dr. C.S. Mohapatra, IEPF Chair Professor at NCAER, the moderator for the session, who provided valuable insights into the evolving challenges in investor protection, especially in the digital age. He discussed the critical role that regulatory frameworks and educational institutes must play in mitigating financial risks, highlighting IEPFA’s efforts in ensuring financial security for all citizens.
On 7th September 2024, the 8th Foundation Day of the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) was celebrated with an Annual Conference at the PPES Campus in Anupshahr, Uttar Pradesh. The conference, focused on the theme “Role of Financial Education in Promoting Investor Awareness and Protection,” was organized in collaboration with the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) and Pardada Pardadi Educational Society (PPES), Anupshahr. The Annual conference addressed a gathering of over 500 girl students and teachers, aiming to highlight the importance of financial education as a means to empower investors and protect their interests, especially in rural and semi-urban areas.
The event commenced with an inaugural ceremony featuring the lighting of the lamp by the dignitaries. Mr. Krishna Kumar Sharma, Principal of PPES, extended his gratitude to the esteemed guests and participants. Mr. Lokender Pal Singh, President of PPES emphasized the significance of promoting financial literacy in rural regions, aligning with PPES’s mission to uplift the rural population, particularly women and girls, through education and empowerment.
The session on “Role of Financial Education in Promoting Investor Awareness and Protection” was moderated by Dr. C. S. Mohapatra, IEPF Chair Professor at NCAER. Dr. Mohapatra discussed the critical role financial literacy plays in the modern economy, particularly in safeguarding investors from financial risks and fraud. He pointed out that an informed investor is a protected investor, and the collective efforts of stakeholders like IEPFA, NCAER, and PPES are pivotal in achieving widespread financial education.