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

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwdeXMu-6jM
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/wwdeXMu-6jM
Generated: 2026-01-27T21:02:45.418+00:00

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## 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.

![Screenshot at 00:04: The speaker begins her talk on stage at TEDx RIIM Pune, setting the context for her decade-long experience in rural development work.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/wwdeXMu-6jM/00-00-04.jpg)

**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.

## Detailed Analysis

The speaker begins by expressing the privilege of sharing her experience from nearly a decade in rural development, starting with a fellowship in a tribal village in the Dangs district of South Gujarat, and later in Northeast India. She recounts meeting Romni Ben, a young, optimistic mother of two who was deeply involved in village life. The speaker and Romni Ben developed a learning module teaching women to make cloth pads, which proved successful as the product sold out, demonstrating latent entrepreneurial potential among the women. However, the speaker highlights the cultural barriers, noting that Romni Ben's mother-in-law initially prevented her from traveling to neighboring villages to sell the product. The speaker realized that gender work cannot happen in silos; it requires male inclusion. She cites Romni Ben's supportive husband, Satish Bhai, who actively drove her to nearby villages to discuss menstruation and business ideas, contrasting with the tendency for men to dominate decision-making spaces. The speaker concludes that for gender equity and sustainable development initiatives to work, they must involve men, ensuring that policy-making incorporates the voices and experiences of all community members, not just women, because gender work cannot succeed in isolation.

### Introduction and Early Work

- Speaker introduces her decade-long passion for rural development, beginning with a fellowship in a tribal village in South Gujarat and moving to Northeast India
- Meeting Romni Ben, a confident young mother of two, who became a key collaborator
- Initial project involved teaching women to make and sell cloth pads, which proved commercially viable.

### The Challenge of Gender Norms

- Speaker details the cultural barriers faced, specifically the mother-in-law preventing Romni Ben from traveling to neighboring villages for sales and discussions on menstruation and business
- This highlights the need to address male gatekeeping roles in society.

### The Importance of Male Inclusion

- Speaker emphasizes that gender work cannot succeed in silos and requires male buy-in, exemplified by Romni Ben's supportive husband, Satish Bhai, who actively facilitated her work
- The speaker now asks herself if her development practices are holistic, considering gender inequities and risks faced by women.

### Conclusion and Call to Action

- The speaker concludes that male inclusion is necessary for sustainable gender equity initiatives to thrive, citing the success of involving husbands and gatekeepers in their work in Bangladesh and India, and thanking the audience.

![Screenshot at 00:00: The speaker takes the stage at TEDx RIIM Pune, with the event branding visible on the screen behind her.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/wwdeXMu-6jM/00-00-00.jpg)
![Screenshot at 00:27: The speaker discusses the challenges faced by women in the rural areas where she worked, noting the lack of basic amenities.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/wwdeXMu-6jM/00-00-27.jpg)
![Screenshot at 01:36: The speaker details her 13 months living with a protected tribal group in the Dangs district of Gujarat, working with women like Romni Ben.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/wwdeXMu-6jM/00-01-36.jpg)
![Screenshot at 03:38: The speaker recounts how initiatives like teaching baking failed because they did not account for existing gender roles and the need for male support.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/wwdeXMu-6jM/00-03-38.jpg)
![Screenshot at 06:08: The speaker emphasizes that gender work requires an ecosystem and male inclusion, noting women listen more when men are involved.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/wwdeXMu-6jM/00-06-08.jpg)