Naghma Mulla “ Women’s right movement one of the strongest in India”
In this episode, Nishant Malhotra has a candid chat with Naghma Mulla, a thought leader and CEO of EdelGive Foundation, a leading grant-making organization in India. EdelGive mission is to build and expand the philanthropic ecosystem by funding small and medium-sized grassroots nonprofits (NGOs) committed to empowering vulnerable children, women, and communities. EdelGive Foundation is enabling social change and impact wit...
Naghma Mulla “ Women’s right movement one of the strongest in India”
In this episode, Nishant Malhotra has a candid chat with Naghma Mulla, a thought leader and CEO of EdelGive Foundation, a leading grant-making organization in India. EdelGive mission is to build and expand the philanthropic ecosystem by funding small and medium-sized grassroots nonprofits (NGOs) committed to empowering vulnerable children, women, and communities. EdelGive Foundation is enabling social change and impact within the social sector in India through many initiatives including UdyamStree campaign accelerating women entrepreneurship for more nuanced socio-economic equity among the marginalized section of the society for a better tomorrow.
Inspite of thoughtful policies for the upliftment of women, a lot needs to be done in this sector. Indian women's contribution towards GDP is only 18 percent versus the global average of 37 percent sadly due to the asymmetries within the system India has 48 percent women population but only 14 percent of women are entrepreneurs. 2 To share a perspective, Vidya Shah Executive Director of EdelGive Foundation, pointed out the importance of equal opportunity for women in India - out of 432 million working-age women in India, ~ 80 percent work in the informal sector with limited financial and social support. According to McKinsey Global Institute, equal opportunity for women would add $770 billion to the GDP by 2025. a Questions 1.
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Questions
1. Naghma good to have a candid chat with you. You have worked for some time with the EdelGive foundation. Do share your experiences at the EdelGive foundation with the audience that has had a transforming effect on you?
✓ What changes have you seen in the Indian social sector landscape especially concerning women empowerment in the last decade?
✓ How has the experience changed you for the better both as a person and as a social change leader?
2. According to World Economic Forum, India ranks at a woeful 140 out of 156 countries covered in the Global Gender Gap Report in 2021. In a country that has had a systemic problem of gender inequality for generations, how do you think the class divide is impeding women entrepreneurship in India. 3
3. According to WEF, in 2018 globally 40.6% of women and 35.6% of men in the world were enrolled in tertiary education but only 88.2% of girls enrolled for primary education in comparison to 90.5% for boys. In India, the situation is far worse for women with a lack of inclusive quality education despite the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act. 3
4. What steps is EdelGive taking to drive equitable education among the underserved section of girls in our country?
✓ EdelGive conducted an in-depth study on women's entrepreneurship. Do share key insights from the report A Landscape Study on Women Entrepreneurship: Its challenges and impact on health, socio-economic security, and family wellbeing outcomes of Women Entrepreneurs that you find helpful in driving UdyamStree initiative.
✓ One aspect highlighted in the report is about serotyping women within society. How do you think we can overcome this misgiving perception change in the long term? If so how?
5. Do speak how the UdyamStree is making a sustainable change within the women startup ecosystem in India? o What policies at the federal level do you feel can help bridge the gap in women entrepreneurship? Enunciate a couple of these policies.
6. The philosophy of EdelGive Foundation is based on collaboration as you along with other foundations are correcting a market failure within the system. Do articulate how through UdyamStree, you plan to collaborate with other foundations example Milaan for a better tomorrow.
7. Anu Prasad discussed Pay What It Takes Philanthropy, a welcome initiative during my conversation with her for The middle Road platform. Pay What It Takes Philanthropy, is an impact-driven giving framework that EdelGive along with other leading foundations and The Bridgespan Group are promoting in India. How does EdelGive plan to use this value-focused Grantmaking approach for uplifting underprivileged women for entrepreneurship? Example more streamlined microlending methodology.
8. For the final question, do share the Aha moment with the audience that brings a smile to your lips. Feel free to share any message with the youth out there.
References
- https://www.edelgive.org/udyamstree/
- https://udyamstree.in/about-udyamstree/
- World Economic Report Global Gender Gap Report 2021 a Vidya Shah Times of India blog
