Under its G20 presidency, India initiated the mainstreaming of gender into economic policy discussions by shifting the focus from women’s development to women-led development. In this new paradigm, women are not simply seen as beneficiaries but as drivers of growth and development. This signals that gender has moved from being a social and moral issue to a macro-critical issue, and that closing gender gaps in the labour market, entrepreneurship, corporate leadership, policymaking and caregiving is not just desirable but an imperative.
Against this backdrop, ICRIER along with Gates Foundation and UNDP, announced the launch of a Network on ‘Economic Policies for Women-Led Development’. The network is committed to advancing proposals that focus on removing barriers to women-led development and creating an enabling ecosystem for women to realize their full potential, transforming their lives as well as those of others. The launch event also marked the first activity of the network, a roundtable on “How Budget 2024 Can Provide an Impetus to Women-led Development”. The roundtable brought together multiple stakeholders – academics, industry practitioners and civil society members.