EquiLead Announces Inaugural Annual Conference Lead With Equity 2024

18th July 2024: EquiLead, an initiative by Arthan Foundation and Climate Asia, is thrilled to announce its inaugural conference, “Lead With Equity 2024,” scheduled to take place from July 22 to 24, 2024, in New Delhi. This year’s theme is “Building Pathways Towards Women’s Leadership.”

The three-day event aims to bring together women professionals, institutional leaders, talent and culture teams, gender researchers, academicians, and other thought leaders dedicated to operationalizing women’s leadership and workplace equity initiatives across various sectors and demographics.

The conference kicks off on July 22 with CommUnity Conversations, starting with the She the Change Brunch, an exclusive gathering that will bring together women leaders from various social impact microcosms to discuss and share their passion for gender equity. This brunch aims to foster conversation and camaraderie among attendees, setting the stage for three days of celebration and engagement. Following this, Impact Connect will offer an engaging afternoon of networking, learning, and exploring leadership opportunities, designed to connect distinguished women leaders and representatives from top organizations in the social impact sector.

On July 23, 2024, the ConfHERence segment will feature keynote addresses by influential leaders in the field. Kanta Singh from UN Women India will discuss “What Happens When Women Lead in Social Impact?”. Shagun Sabarwal, Regional Director – Asia at Co-Impact, will speak on “Institution Change Solutions for Accelerating Women’s Leadership in Law and Economics”. Julia Middleton, Founder of Women Emerging, will also deliver a keynote on Building Pathways for Women’s Leadership.

The day will also host several panel discussions. The first, “Women’s Leadership and the Strategic Role of Gender Lens Giving Principles in Philanthropy” will underscore the importance of directing resources toward initiatives that empower women, address gender disparities, and create pathways for sustainable development. “The Power Question” will delve into the dynamics of power exercised by men and women, highlighting the unique challenges faced by women in leadership roles, and will include diverse voices, including non-binary identities and intergenerational perspectives. “From Vision to Action: Women’s Participation in Social Impact Leadership” will showcase how panelists have actively enhanced women’s participation and inclusion within nonprofits and social impact organizations, sharing effective models and strategies. Lastly, “Diversifying Boards in the Social Impact Sector” will explore strategies for increasing gender diversity on boards, focusing on empowering women leaders and providing organizations with tools and perspectives to diversify their boards.

Notable speakers for the conference include Nandita Baruah, Country Representative India, The Asia Foundation; Lavanya Garg, Director, People Ops and Partnerships, Good Business Lab; Deepali Vandana, Co-founder/Managing Trustee, URJA Trust; Meera Shenoy, Founder-CEO, Youth4Jobs Foundation; Sylvia Priyanthi, Director People & Culture, Quest Alliance; Shemeer Babu, Co-Founder, aikyam fellows; Neha Dass, Facilitator – India, WomenLift Health and many more. The day will also feature the – EquiLead Showcase of women-led organizations that are redefining leadership goals with gender-equitable workplace practices.

Learning and development is the theme for Day 3 (July 24). EquiLead Lab will focus on knowledge and capacity building through hands-on workshops. Attendees can participate in sessions like “Empowering Women in Climate Careers: Building Green Skills and Leadership” by Climate Asia’s Koushik Yanamandram and Arthan’s Kavya Ailawadi; “Power Up – Boost Your Personal Brand” with Impact Communications Expert Pia Desai, which will provide strategies to build a strong and impactful personal brand; and “Making Motherhood Work” with Gauri Bhure and Tena Pick, Co-founders of Parenthesis India, which will discuss approaches to support working mothers and build inclusive workplaces for parents and caregivers.

This conference promises to be an inspiring, informative, and impactful event. We invite all those passionate about gender equity and women’s leadership to register and be part of this transformative experience.

Our partners for the event include MegaDelta Capital, Climate Asia, The Asia Foundation, HT Parekh Foundation, Arthan Foundation, WomenLift Health, Treelife, Perkins India, Co-Impact, AVPN, Arthan, Parenthesis India, Greenr, Chambal Media, Quest Alliance, Aikyam Fellow, PATH, Avendus, Good Business Labs, Urja Trust, ACT Grants, Dasra, WomenLead Alliance and Purpose.