Women leaders, change makers and facilitators in skill space in India – Part 2

Prof. Rao R. Bhavani UNESCO Chair in Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment, Amrita University Director, AMMACHI Labs, Amrita University, Director, Center for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment, Amrita University

This is one of the best of times to be a woman because there are so many opportunities available. It’s also one of the worst times, because society cannot keep up with our exponential progress. The world of skills is no longer only a man’s world. The opportunities we have as women are now available to a much larger segment of society than to a few elite in the past. As we strive forward, we have many more opportunities to realize our aspirations. As women it is our duty to stretch the boundaries and reach of these opportunities to realize them for ourselves, as well as for all women and girls. If you look into this matter deeply, you will see the limitations were never about a woman’s capabilities but more about the lack of structure in society to support her efforts. The fact that a woman has always needed a social structure around her to do anything put her at a disadvantage. Isolation is disempowering, and is dangerous for a woman in today’s world. Empowering women through building strength in numbers in her community is an inclusive approach that can bring about a great change for her and in the whole of society. This is a critical and exciting time for us to create communities of learning and practice in skill development that empower women to participate as a whole.