Women Entrepreneurship
New Delhi 13 July 2024
The Women’s Summit 2024 aimed to celebrate and highlight female entrepreneurship, which is the necessity of the hour. The goal was to create a supportive community where women can network, share experiences, and collaborate on projects, ultimately driving economic empowerment and fostering a culture of innovation and resilience among female entrepreneurs.
The Women’s Summit 2024 was held at the Indian Social Institute on Saturday, 13 July 2024, from 10 am to 1 pm. The event began with a warm welcome and an introduction to the summit by Dolly Siddequi, Executive Committee Member of Women’s Manifesto. She emphasized the importance of women empowerment and welfare, setting the tone for the day’s discussions.
The summit featured distinguished guests, including Prof. (Dr.) Neena Pandey, Professor at the Department of Social Work, University of Delhi, who shared her valuable insights. She highlighted the success of Women’s Manifesto and shared her journey of becoming a member in 2016 through the national leadership program at DSSW. She discussed the challenges that hinder women’s progress and underscored the need to recognize women not just as commodities but as capital. Prof. Pandey advocated for changing perspectives and providing opportunities to women, emphasizing their innate managerial skills.
A highlight of the summit was the release of the book “Dignity of Women and Justice Delivery System in India” authored by Dr. Sharnas Muthu TT & Prof. Habeebul Rahiman V. M. presented by Prof. (Dr.) Nuzhat Parveen Khan, Ex-Dean of the Faculty of Law at JMI, New Delhi. She addressed the abundance of laws supporting women’s rights but pointed out the challenges in their implementation. Prof. Khan stressed the need for gender sensitization and societal support for these laws to be effective.
The summit also included an award distribution ceremony and experience sharing by the awardees of Women’s Manifesto Award 2023. Women’s Manifesto confers award to eminent women in order to recognise efforts made by them for rendering distinguished services for the cause of women and development. Women who made contributions for the improvement of socio-economic, education, health, legal condition of women and those women who made exemplary contributions in literature, art, academic, research and development, dissemination of knowledge, media, public administration, sports, science, technology entrepreneurship etc are given award.
Ms. Uzma Naheed, Adv. Teena Cherian, Dr. Eram Khan, and Ms. Jasmine Ambalathilakath. Ms. Uzma Naheed was recognised for her notable work with women in vocational training and empowerment. She shared her journey of starting vocational training centres for women. She emphasized economic empowerment for women and the importance of networking. Advocate Teena Cherian spoke about her role as legal counsel for Nirbhaya Homes to starting her own Trust and supporting sexual assault victims and training them in vocational skills. Dr. Eram Khan highlighted the healthcare challenges faced by women and advocated for women to make informed health decisions. She stressed the importance of support and financial independence for women. Ms. Jasmine Ambalathilakath, though not present, joined the summit online and her contributions to literature and women’s empowerment were acknowledged. Their inspiring stories added a personal touch to the event and highlighted the importance of recognizing efforts in the fight against sexual harassment.
Further enriching the summit were speeches by notable guests such as Dr. Simin Akhter, Associate Professor in the Department of Economics at Zakir Hussain College, University of Delhi, who emphasized the need for access, agency, and autonomy for women’s empowerment. She encouraged women to actively assert their rights and highlighted the importance of solidarity.
Dr. Jisha MR, Director of Ecoveda Climate LLP discussed the disparities in access to resources and opportunities for women. She shared her journey from Delhi University to starting a company focused on a sustainable future.
The summit concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Swaliha CA, President of Women’s Manifesto, acknowledging the contributions of all participants and guests. The successful organization of the summit was further highlighted by the presentation of mementos to the esteemed guests by Dr. Sharnas Muthu, Dr. Shabeena Kamarudheen,. The event was coordinated by Dolly Siddequi , Shifali Beniwal, Umm Fatima.
The Women’s Summit 2024 was a resounding success, marked by insightful presentations and discussions led by experts in the field. Women’s Manifesto continues to strive towards creating a safer and more equitable society for women.