Why Gender Equity is the Backbone of Resilient Development | Angel Konthoujam | TEDxRIIM Pune

Quick Overview

The speaker argues that achieving gender equity in development requires moving beyond siloed gender work and integrating male inclusion into all processes, specifically highlighting the success of involving male gatekeepers and husbands in supporting women's economic activities like weaving and fish selling in rural areas of Northeast India and Bangladesh.

Key Points: The speaker spent nearly a decade working in rural development, specifically in a tribal village in the Dangs district of South Gujarat and in Northeast India. The speaker partnered with a local NGO and a woman named Romni Ben, who, despite being a young mother of two (age 23 at the time), was confident and deeply involved in all village activities. Romni Ben's husband, Satish Bhai (age 19), was supportive and actively involved in the community's development initiatives, contrasting with the general tendency for men to occupy the 'gatekeeper' roles in society. The speaker and Romni Ben developed a learning module to teach women in the Kothwalia community how to make cloth pads, which turned out to be a successful product that sold out, showing the potential for female entrepreneurship. The speaker stresses that gender work cannot function in silos; it requires male inclusion, citing that Romni Ben's husband drove her to neighboring villages to talk about menstruation and business proposals. The speaker advocates for policies that consider the differential risks and outcomes women face, ensuring that male voices are included in policy-making and development initiatives for true gender equity to thrive.

Context: The speaker recounts her experiences working in rural development, starting with a fellowship nearly a decade prior in a tribal village in the Dangs district of South Gujarat, and later working with communities in Northeast India and Bangladesh. The narrative centers on her collaboration with local women, particularly Romni Ben, an empowered young mother, and the crucial realization that involving men, especially gatekeepers and husbands, is essential for sustainable gender equity initiatives to succeed in conservative settings.