Inclusion has been the buzzword at this year’s WEF, with much emphasis on diversity and women’s empowerment. Smriti Irani, former Union Minister and women’s rights activist, spoke to NDTV at Davos in a gripping interaction on some very critical issues pertaining to women’s roles in society.
The idea is to view productivity through the health lens and not necessarily through skillsets,” Irani, who heads the newly launched Alliance for Global Good – Gender Equity and Equality (AGG-GEE), added. She has maintained that India is in a better position to inspire on social inclusion.
She said while India always looked inward, it was time for the narrative to change and show that Indians are driving global conversations on issues like inclusion, climate change, and health innovations. Irani said discussions at Davos have relevance beyond India-specific issues to broader global challenges.
Emphasizing the economic might of women, Irani said women today are commanding $20 trillion in consumption capacity and may rise to 50% in five years. She said the debate on inclusion of women has been more philanthropic rather than economic empowerment, adding that capital capacity for women needs to be enhanced.
At Davos, where all conversations were angled towards artificial intelligence, Irani pointedly remarked on job displacements, especially among entry-level women employees. She further asked what stratagem was available to absorb this workforce while facing automation.
Irani also spoke about the importance of investment in women’s health, stating that research indicated for every dollar invested in maternal health, the return was in terms of a $30 productivity dividend. She spoke to incorporate comprehensive mechanisms for health innovation into discussions on productivity, calling for a multiheaded approach to help further the case of global inclusion.
