Women's Empowerment

From Statistics to Transformation: The Power of a Toilet Mumbai, India’s financial capital, has 6,800 city toilets — yet only 2,973 are functional. That’s 1 seat for 752 men… and an even starker 1 seat for 1,820 women (Praja Foundation, 2024). Numbers like these remind us how invisible basic dignity can be in our cities. For most of us, a toilet is something we take for granted. But for those without, the absence of this basic facility can mean lost hours each day, poor health, anxiety, and compromised safety. And yet, a toilet can be nothing short of transformational. It can restore time, health, confidence, and above all, self-respect. During my visit as a member of Mumbai First, I saw firsthand how Hindustan Unilever’s Suvidha Centres are rewriting this story. With just ₹150 ($1.70) per month, a family of 5 gets access to clean toilets, safe bathing spaces, laundromats, and filtered drinking water. • Women feel secure with 24x7 CCTV surveillance and separate facilities equipped with sanitary dispensers. • No more skipping meals to avoid unsafe night visits. • Affordable laundry (₹70 for 7kg) and bathing (₹10) save time and improve hygiene. • Over 6,000 members per centre benefit, with digital access systems ensuring inclusivity and order. The result? Communities uplifted. Women empowered. Invisible workers of our cities granted dignity. This is more than sanitation—it’s a social and economic paradigm shift. Kudos to Hindustan Unilever for showing us how business can transform lives, one Suvidha toilet at a time. Sometimes, hope doesn’t come in big speeches or grand plans. Sometimes, it comes in the form of a clean, safe toilet—changing lives quietly, yet profoundly. ❤️

1/10 women leave work during menopause because of their symptoms. This costs the UK economy an estimated £1.5 billion every year… Not to mention the personal toll on women’s careers, confidence, and financial security. The data is stark: → £191m is lost annually due to time off work. → £22m lost due to presenteeism (showing up but unable to perform at full capacity). The numbers prove what too many of us already know: untreated and unsupported menopause isn’t just a women’s health issue. It’s an economic issue. It’s a business issue. We’re building The Better Menopause on this very premise - that when women are properly supported with evidence-based solutions, they thrive. And when women thrive, so do workplaces and economies. We cannot afford to keep ignoring the link between menopause, productivity, and economic growth. This is about more than flexible working policies. It’s about creating a culture where midlife women are supported, not sidelined. Because investing in women’s health is investing in growth.

In a world of volatility and increasing protectionism that is likely to damage many national economies including that of the UK, there is one untapped resource that very few in government are talking about. Women. The @UN states that if we closed the gender gap it could add $7trillion to the global economy Sadly the UK dropped one place in the rankings to 18th in PWC’s annual Women in Work report this year, but there are glimmers of hope. Women’s participation in the workplace has increased adding approximately £6.2bn to our economy. Let’s face it we need it! If we continue to see sustained increases in participation rates, by 2030 it would amount to an additional £43.5bn. So why aren’t we talking about it more? Unpicking this puzzle is complex. Women need readily available and affordable childcare. In many parts of the country this is a pipe dream. We also need employers that recognise they need to step up on reproductive health, fertility, maternity, parenting, caring and menopause. And it’s not just women, men also need support for mental health, parenting and caring. Implement changes like these takes commitment and a change in perspective, something many organisations will need a legal nudge on. The other side to this in the current climate, is the increasingly worrying misogynistic narrative, which is filtering into British politics as well. The steady drumbeat of comments is normalising hate speech, sexist and threatening behaviour and limiting women’s careers. If we are to gain the economic benefits of women being in work, we need to create the environment where they can join, choose to stay and prosper. In an environment where our economy needs us to maximise every opportunity, surely this is something we can and should address?

🧾 The cost of being seen isn’t the same for everyone. For women, it’s a "Surchage" no one talks about. 👩 Take Ling, a regional sales director. When she speaks up in strategy meetings, she’s told to “be mindful of her tone.” When she stays quiet, she’s labeled “not strategic enough.” It’s not a leadership gap. It’s a cost-benefit calculation, rigged against her. 👩 Meet Rina, a product lead. She’s built three go-to-market launches. Each one a success. But when promotion time comes, her boss says: “You’re doing great. Let’s not disrupt the team dynamic.” Her competence became the excuse to keep her contained. 👩 And then there’s Julia, a COO candidate. She’s been asked to mentor the next generation of women leaders. But no one’s sponsoring her to be the next CEO. 👉 Because championing others is celebrated. Championing yourself gets complicated. But the problem is, the system charges women extra for the power move: • Speak up? Pay the “too aggressive” tax. • Stay humble? Pay the “forgettable” fee. • Stay silent? Pay with your career.    ⚙️ So how do you stop overpaying for power? You fix it by changing the cost structure. Here are 4 strategic power moves to change the terms: 1️⃣ 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲. Most women try to optimize for comfort: "How can I be visible without making anyone uncomfortable?" Wrong question. Ask: "What does this room need to believe about me to attach power to my name?" Then behave in a way that enforces that belief, consistently! 2️⃣ 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁. Workhorses get thanked. Strategists get promoted. Shift the conversation from "how hard you worked" to "what changed because of you." Make people dependent on your thinking, not your labor. 3️⃣ 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁, 𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺. When women lead, people often don’t know how to process it. So they fill in the blanks, with assumptions. Don’t let the room guess. Tell them why you’re doing what you’re doing. Say 👉 "I’m recommending this because it moves us closer to the long-term goal." 👉 "I’m raising this because keeping quiet will cost us more later." 4️⃣ 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗼𝗺’𝘀 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝘆, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. Decisions about you happen in rooms you’re not in. Those rooms won’t remember your to-do list, they’ll remember the shortcut version of you. Make sure the phrase people repeat about you is a power narrative, not a service narrative. Keen to own your narrative? 📅 Join our online workshop on July 24th 7:30 to 9pm SGT 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 👉 https://lnkd.in/gVT2Y59Q 👈 For women who are done paying extra just to be in the room. 👊 Because if you keep paying the power tax quietly, you’ll be subsidizing other people’s promotions forever.

Two new Budget policies could finally challenge the one rule every Indian woman knows:  “Be back before dark.” When I heard the announcement, something in me softened… and strengthened. Because for once, a policy didn’t feel like governance. It felt personal. This year, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a girls’ hostel in every district and community-owned She-MARTS to support women entrepreneurs. I grew up studying in different corners of the country, cities, small towns, districts where the nearest college was miles away. And everywhere, the same rules quietly followed us: “Be home before dark.” “Don’t stay back after class.” “Don’t travel alone.” They were boundaries drawn by lack of safety. So when I hear “a girls’ hostel in every district,” I hear freedom, freedom to choose a better college, stay back late, travel, participate, and simply exist without fear. Freedom for parents to say yes. And then there’s work, the space where women constantly negotiate visibility and opportunity. Running a business today, I know how real those barriers are. That’s why She MARTS matter. They’re women-led, community-owned marketplaces that offer retail space, digital visibility, training, and credit linkages to women. For women in remote regions, a She MART means: You don’t need to leave your village to run a business. Your products don’t stay hidden. You don’t stay invisible. This budget finally acknowledges the everyday barriers we’ve normalised for generations. And when a country gives its women a safe place to study and a platform to grow, it doesn’t just uplift women. It uplifts generations.

Why Feminism is More Important Than Ever: Data on Women in Politics from *Invisible Women Caroline Criado Perez’s *Invisible Women* reveals how systemic data biases exclude women, particularly in politics—where their underrepresentation has far-reaching consequences. Key statistics from the book highlight why feminist advocacy is urgent: - **Policy Blind Spots**: Governments often overlook issues like unpaid care work (which women perform 3x more than men) because decision-makers are disproportionately male. - **Gender Data Gaps**: Only 23% of countries have equal political representation, leading to policies that ignore women’s needs—from public transport safety to healthcare access. - **Economic Exclusion**: When women aren’t in leadership, budgets neglect funding for maternal care, childcare, and anti-violence programs. The evidence is clear: feminism isn’t just about equality—it’s about ensuring women’s lives are factored into decisions that shape society. Without equal political power, women remain *invisible* in policies that affect them most. #Feminism #WomenInPolitics #GenderDataGap #InvisibleWomen #Leadership

𝗢𝗡 𝗕𝗘𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗗 I was once in a meeting where I relayed an idea. I was a VP. There was another male VP in the meeting. And our boss. The meeting went on as if I didn't say anything. Then, the male VP relayed the same idea. And the boss said, "Great idea!" The oversight wasn't necessarily intended. It manifested an unconscious bias that often goes unnoticed in our daily interactions. Recognizing this is the first step toward making meaningful changes. When a woman states an idea, it may be overlooked, but everyone notices when a man repeats it. This is called the “stolen idea.” When a male coworker runs away with a woman’s idea, remind everyone it originated with her by saying something like, “Great idea! I loved it when Katie originally brought it up, and I’m glad you reiterated it.” If someone takes your idea, you can speak up for yourself by saying, “Thanks for picking up on that idea. Here’s my thought. . .” (then add something new). Ways that we can make sure women’s ideas are heard: 1. Invite other women to speak 2. Distribute speaking time equally 3. Ask to hear from women who are being interrupted and spoken over 4. Amplify other women’s ideas by repeating them and giving credit 5. Praise and showcase other women’s work 6. Create systems to distribute “office housework,” such as note-taking, in meetings 7. Share public speaking opportunities with women who have less power or privilege 8. Share pronouns In reflecting on this experience, I'm reminded of the importance of RAW leadership: Being 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗟 in acknowledging our biases and striving for equity, Being 𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗘 in amplifying and crediting ideas regardless of their source, and recognizing the 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗬 impact of ensuring every voice is heard and valued. By adopting these practices, we can dismantle unconscious biases and create a more inclusive environment where everyone feels seen and heard. How do you ensure all voices are heard in your spaces?

No woman should have to choose between food and a sanitary pad. That’s the belief driving Suhani Jalota Back in 2015, as a 21-year-old student at Duke University, Suhani would spend her vacations walking through Mumbai’s slums listening to women whisper about infections, shame and silence. They had clinics nearby, but couldn’t talk about “women’s issues.” They earned barely enough for food, let alone sanitary products. And that’s when she decided to change the narrative. She founded Myna Mahila Foundation - a movement that helps women earn with dignity, speak without shame and access healthcare without fear. 🩸 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒖𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒖𝒕𝒆 𝒂𝒇𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝒑𝒂𝒅𝒔 𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒃𝒚 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏, 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏. 💬 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒅𝒐𝒐𝒓-𝒕𝒐-𝒅𝒐𝒐𝒓 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒂𝒍 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉, 𝒇𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒔 𝒏𝒐 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒅𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔. 💻 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒖𝒑 𝒅𝒊𝒈𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝒋𝒐𝒃𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒑𝒑 𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝑹𝑨𝑵𝑰 𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒌 𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 𝒕𝒐 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆. She also co-founded Myna Research, a data collection arm that manages field experiments on women's issues in urban slums in India. Her impact? Tremendous. ✅Over 500,000 pads produced and distributed, helping women switch from unsafe cloth to affordable hygiene options. ✅ 1.5 million+ women and girls reached through menstrual health education. ✅ 21,000+ women accessing tele-health consultations with female doctors. ✅ Thousands earning their first income through digital micro-tasks. ✅ Developed an AI-powered chatbot for reproductive-health information handling thousands of queries in Hindi, Hinglish & Marathi. And recognition followed.. ✅ Forbes 30 under 30 Asia ✅ Asia 21 Young Leader ✅ Knight Hennessy Scholar at Stanford ✅ Hindustan Times City 30 under 30 ✅ Queen Young Leader award ✅ Glamor College Woman of the Year ✅Top 50 under 50 most powerful women by India Today. But what makes Suhani’s story unforgettable isn’t the awards. It’s her courage to talk about what most people avoid. It’s her belief that agency begins with a conversation. And it’s her dream to move tens of millions of women into the digital economy by 2040. Because when a woman speaks, works and earns, she doesn’t just uplift herself, she transforms an entire community with her junoon. #inspiringwomen #womenfounders #changemakersindia #entrepreneurs #womenentrepreneurs

First man to wear a sanitary pad🤦♀️ Dropped out of school at the age of 14! Society called him “mad” and excluded him. Arunachalam Muruganantham – The Real Pad Man: ➡️He was the first man in the world to wear a sanitary pad just to understand what women go through every month. ➡️It all started when he noticed that his wife used dirty cloth during her periods because sanitary pads were too expensive. ➡️He decided to make affordable pads for her himself. ➡️His first attempts failed but he didn’t give up. ➡️He even asked his wife and sisters to test his samples. ➡️He discovered that the cotton used in pads cost just 10 paise, but big companies were selling it for 40 times more. ➡️And the machines to make pads? Way too expensive costing in crores! ➡️So within 18 months, he built 250 low-cost pad-making machines on his own. ➡️He distributed these machines to underprivileged areas in Bihar, MP, Rajasthan, and UP. ➡️Today, women in 24 states use his machines to manufacture sanitary pads and earn a living. ➡️Each machine provides jobs to 10 women, who make around 200–250 pads daily and sell them at just Rs. 2.50 per pad. ➡️These women aren’t just earning money they’re also spreading awareness about periods and hygiene. ➡️His mission is real unlike the ads that show women dancing in white pants during their periods. He focused on real problems and real solutions. Today, he has a Padma Shri award and a Bollywood movie based on his life! LinkedIn LinkedIn Guide to Creating LinkedIn News

Companies worldwide have already begun their performance of allyship - in support of Women's History Month and IWD by supporting the women they employ, few of whom hold senior leadership roles. For leaders and companies serious about creating opportunities for women, here's what actually works: 1️⃣ Stop treating gender equity like a special initiative you champion in March with a panel discussion. That's not structural change. That's performance. 2️⃣ Implement structural transparency in compensation, promotion criteria, sponsorship pathways, and decision rights. If the path to advancement is unclear, it's by design. So interrupt it: Publish salary bands. Make promotion criteria explicit. Remove the mystery that keeps power concentrated. Opportunities are not created by inspiration. They are created by incentive structures and accountability. 3️⃣ Dismantle informal gatekeeping. When advancement depends on informal networks, "culture fit," or proximity to power, women lose. Especially women of the Global Majority, mothers, and those who don't perform leadership in historically masculine ways. 4️⃣ Sponsor women. Women are over-mentored and under-sponsored. They don't need more coaching on navigating broken systems or building confidence. They need power. Share power. 5️⃣ Redistribute care work. Women carry the invisible labor that keeps companies running - organising events, emotional support, administrative tasks no one gets promoted for. If it's not in the job description and it's not compensated, stop expecting women to do it. 6️⃣ Hold men accountable for equity work. Gender equity isn't a women's issue - it's a power issue. If only women are responsible for fixing it, nothing changes. Men need to do the work, not delegate it. 7️⃣ Importantly, women are not a monolith. Women are not only white, slim, heterosexual, or non-disabled. They are also Black, Indigenous, Latina, African, Asian, fat, short, queer, disabled. They have straight, curly, and afro hair. They don't sound alike and they have opinions that differentiate them from a doormat. 📍For women seeking workplace progression, some advice using my Three Clarities framework: 1️⃣ Identity: Know who you are. Stop asking for permission. Start building leverage. 2️⃣ Context: Understand the system you're in, know what it rewards, then adapt strategically or leave. 3️⃣ Power: Know what you can influence. Build power. Secure sponsors. If no one is speaking your name in rooms, your effort is invisible. Control your narrative. If you don't define your story, others will. To manage your expectations: you can do everything right and still not advance, because the system wasn't designed to reward you. That's not on you! That's the system behaving as designed. Believe it and know when to exit. Don't stay loyal to systems that don't invest in you. Sometimes progression means climbing the ladder, and sometimes, the courage to leave. - #RightsJusticeAction #LinkedInNewsEurope #IWD26