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Promoting Women’s Engagement in the Gig Economy, IWWAGE at Access Livelihoods Summit 2024
Promoting Women’s Engagement in the Gig Economy, IWWAGE at Access Livelihoods Summit 2024

 

Promoting Women’s Engagement in the Gig Economy

Livelihoods India Summit 2024 | 19 December 2024

At the 2024 Livelihoods India Summit, organised by ACCESS Development Services, IWWAGE – LEAD at Krea University co-curated an insightful session titled Promoting Women’s Engagement in the Gig Economy. The discussion brought together leading experts and practitioners working at the intersection of gender and the digital economy to explore the potential of platform-based work for women in India.

The session highlighted the transformative opportunities the digital gig economy offers – particularly its flexibility, accessibility, and capacity to create new pathways for women’s economic participation. It acknowledged how digital platforms can enable women to overcome traditional barriers, manage caregiving responsibilities, and tap into a wider marketplace for their skills and services.

However, the discussion also shed light on the persistent challenges that continue to limit women’s engagement in the gig economy, including unequal access to digital tools and skills, financial constraints, and entrenched social norms. Recognising these hurdles, the session delved into actionable strategies to promote women’s inclusion – from digital literacy initiatives and upskilling programmes to improved access to finance, mentorship, and policy-level interventions.

 

The session was moderated by Sona Mitra, Director, Policy and Research at IWWAGE, and featured a diverse panel of speakers:

  • Anweshaa Ghosh, Research Fellow and Programme Lead, Institute of Social Studies Trust
  • Bhavya Sharma, Director of Communications & ESG, Urban Company
  • Priya Anant, Co-founder and Chief Customer Officer, Life Circle Health Services Private Limited
  • Pallavi T Madhok, Vice President – Advisory Services, South Asia, Women’s World Banking

Together, the panellists contributed rich insights on building a more inclusive digital ecosystem that supports women as workers, entrepreneurs, and leaders in the gig economy.

Panel Discussion: Propelling India’s Care Economy – Achievements, Challenges, and Strategies for the Future

Panel Discussion: Propelling India’s Care Economy – Achievements, Challenges, and Strategies for the Future

See the panel recording

On 10 March 2025, IWWAGE hosted a compelling panel discussion titled “Propelling India’s Care Economy: Achievements, Challenges, and Strategies for the Future” at the NGO Forum of the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69). The session convened State representatives, CSO partners, and global experts to explore India’s progress in implementing the Beijing Declaration commitments, with a sharp focus on the care economy.

Key Highlights:

Smt. Smriti Sharan, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India highlighted the disproportionate care burden on women, noting that globally, women spend 2.5 times more on unpaid care work than men. Citing the UN Gender Snapshot Report 2023, she warned that by 2030, over 340 million women and girls could be living in extreme poverty, with 1 in 4 facing food insecurity. She commended GoI initiatives such as DAY-NRLM, MGNREGA, and ICDS, which support women’s livelihoods while providing care assistance. However, she stressed the need to expand and scale up these services. Sharan also advocated for greater convergence between national and state-level programmes, referencing Karnataka’s Koosina Mane scheme, which integrates Panchayati Raj and MGNREGA to offer childcare infrastructure for working mothers. She further emphasised the role of technological innovations in data collection and monitoring to improve care services and identify best practices.

Dr. discussed the role of legislation in enhancing care infrastructure, highlighting the Factories Act, which mandates crèches in establishments with 30 or more employees. He also referenced the Building and Other Construction Workers Act, which allocates funding for setting up crèche facilities at work sites. He announced that Karnataka would soon introduce a menstrual leave policy for women employees in the formal sector—a progressive step towards creating more gender-inclusive workplaces. Dr. Manjunath Gangadhara, Additional Labour Commissioner (Industrial Relations) Government of Karnataka also stressed the need for redistributing care responsibilities through social reforms, advocating for synergies between CSO initiatives and government schemes.

Kelsey Harris,  Senior Policy Analyst, Center for Global Development called for increased public investment in equitable and quality care services. She recommended a goal of allocating 3–10% of national incomes to public care services by 2030, with 1% of GDP dedicated to pre-primary education and 10% of education budgets allocated to early childhood learning. She emphasised the need for transparent public data on care spending, particularly for children under three and long-term care services, which are often under-reported. Kelsey also highlighted the importance of strengthening social protection systems, especially for informal workers, people with disabilities, and the self-employed. She urged governments to aim for 75% population coverage by 2030, ensuring financial security and access to quality care.

Gala Díaz Langou, Executive Director, CIPPEC shared Argentina’s experience in reducing care burdens through increased access to education. She noted that the country saw a 35% drop in fertility rates between 2014 and 2022, largely due to improved education reducing teen pregnancies and, consequently, care responsibilities for young women. She also showcased Colombia’s Manzanas del Cuidado programme, which offers free, block-level care services to caregivers. These spaces provide education, training, healthcare, and mental health support, enabling caregivers to access economic and educational opportunities. Gala further highlighted Mexico’s Utopias model, which integrates healthcare, skilling, and education services for care receivers, creating a comprehensive care ecosystem.

Sumitra Mishra, CEO, Mobile Creches emphasised the need for granular, community-level data and scalable pilot programmes to shape effective care policies. She highlighted the growing involvement of philanthropic foundations in funding large-scale pilots on rural childcare, citing initiatives in Bihar (Jeevika platform) and Karnataka, where SHG models are being used to experiment with care services. Sumitra also stressed the lack of standards and regulations in the private sector for care facilities, calling for the introduction of a national registry for crèches. She urged corporates to integrate childcare into their ESG mandates, committing funds towards care infrastructure. She concluded by highlighting the importance of community trust-building, noting that even the poorest families would not use childcare services without trust and confidence in their quality.

The panel concluded with a powerful call to action: strengthening care systems through policy reforms, increased public investment, and cross-sector collaboration is essential to ensuring women’s full and equitable participation in the economy.

IWWAGE Bi-Monthly Seminar: Gender Transformative Evaluation- Why and How?

IWWAGE Bi-Monthly Seminar: Gender Transformative Evaluation- Why and How?

Jahnvi Andharia, Director and Research Fellow at Institute for Social Studies Trust along with her colleague Alpaxee Kashyap joined us for a seminar series on July 11, 2024 to discuss Gender Transformative Evaluations.

The seminar started with a discussion on the history of evaluation and the importance of context in evaluation right from its origin. It was realized soon enough that change can only be measured through certain kinds of frameworks. An evaluator’s job then becomes to identify the right kind of measurement framework given the context accounting for both strengths and weaknesses. The discussion further progressed into origins of Voluntary Organization for Professional Evaluation (VOPEs) and evolution of evaluation as it became a government function initially because of the monetary and human resource aspect which only a government body could possess. As ‘evaluation’ expanded to both government and non-government programs, multiple stakeholders entered the picture. This also led to “engendering evaluation”. The focus of the discussion further shifted to engaging participants on differentiating between change and transformation. Change is conceptualized as a shorter-term response to new external factors but transformation is often an internal and a fundamental evolution in the belief system of individuals. Change can be small and incremental; however, transformation is always large and significant. Lastly, transformation may not require any external influence to maintain it but more foundational shifts from within. Transformations might not be necessarily positive and their impact can only be determined later.

As suggested by the discussion, transformation is a spectrum. Before understanding Gender Transformative Evaluation, one must understand different levels of how any evaluation constitutes Gender. Evaluations in its objective can choose to decide whether it wants to include ‘gender’ and how based on these different levels.

Level 1: Gender Discriminatory- Any program that perpetuates gender inequality by reinforcing unbalanced norms, roles and relations.

Level 2: Gender Blind- This suggests any evaluation/program that is neutral to gender norms, roles and relations. In terms of such evaluation, the objective might not go beyond surface level involvement of men and women without understanding gender norms.

Level 3: Gender Sensitive- Unlike previous types of evaluation, this approach considers gender roles, norms and relations. However, it does not go a further step to address inequality created by such unequal norms.

Level 4: Gender Responsive- This approach takes that step and investigates whether an intervention/program has actually responded to gender specific needs.

Level 5: Gender Transformative- Any approach of evaluation is truly gender transformative if it questions power structures and includes ways of transforming gender norms and promotes gender equality in the longer run.

The speakers urged the participants to identify key differences between research and evaluation. Through an interactive discussion, it was concluded that the key difference between research and evaluation is that research can be the creation of new knowledge but evaluation has a specific purpose to assess an activity, program or strategy. Evaluation aims to improve something and includes specific people for which the evaluation is considered- beneficiaries, implementers, government and non-government bodies etc.

Through rounds of discussion and interaction, the participants also developed a better understanding on the nature of Evaluation and what can make them Transformative. It was realized that the objective of evaluation is often very limited and this restricts transformation. Traditional indicators of measurement during evaluation often focus on achievable outputs and not outcomes. Outcomes require more time and if the evaluation fails to understand whether the current outputs actually leads to better outcomes, such evaluation won’t reveal the true picture of what is happening with the intervention.

Finally, in order to truly understand Gender Transformative Evaluations, one must develop an understanding of intersectionality, equity and human rights. The discussion also introduced various operational challenges especially in terms of budget in conducting Gender Transformative Evaluation. Overall, as a domain Evaluation requires an in-depth understanding of purpose, criteria, methodology, stakeholder analysis, data collection methods and finally incorporation of gender to develop deeper understanding of the hierarchies in the system. Before concluding, the discussion also went into some detail on conflicting perspectives that evaluators might face and the significance of maintaining strong research methods combining a mixed approach in Evaluation.

IWWAGE at Global Evaluation Initiatives gLOCAL Evaluation Week 2024

IWWAGE at Global Evaluation Initiative’s gLOCAL Evaluation Week 2024

 

On 3rd June 2024, a panel discussion titled “Evaluating Gaps in Women Empowerment Indices and Strategies to Bridge Them” explored the complexities of measuring women’s empowerment. Moderated by Dr. Arpita Paul, the session featured panellists Mridusmita Bordoloi (IWWAGE) and Dr. Vikash Vaibhav (O.P. Jindal Global University). Key discussions included:

  • Examining global and Indian methodologies for assessing women’s empowerment.
  • Identifying dimensions of empowerment that remain unmeasured, particularly in the Indian context.
  • Highlighting data availability and quality limitations while proposing innovative approaches for more accurate measurement.
  • Developing strategies to address gaps in empowerment indices, such as state-level comparable indices and inclusive, intersectional frameworks.

The session emphasised the importance of holistic indicators and reliable data to inform effective policy making. Watch the session recording here

 

On 5th June 2024, IWWAGE hosted a panel discussion titled “Childcare and Women’s Work: Are These Connected?” to address the significant barrier that unpaid childcare responsibilities pose to women’s participation in the labour force. Moderated by Prakriti Sharma, the panel featured insights from Bidisha Mondal, Divya Singh Kohli, and Sruthi Kutty. The discussion focused on:

  • Exploring how access to reliable and affordable childcare can empower women economically.
  • Highlighting the potential of childcare solutions to boost women’s workforce participation.
  • Stressing the need for comprehensive policy interventions to address childcare responsibilities effectively.

Both events underscored the importance of targeted solutions and robust policies to advance women’s empowerment and economic inclusion in India. Watch the session recording here

Roundtable Consultation on Emerging Elderly Care Models

Roundtable Consultation on ‘Emerging Elderly Care Models – Opportunities for Improving Women’s Engagement in Caregiving’

The roundtable consultation on ‘Emerging Elderly Care Models – Opportunities for Improving Women’s Engagement in Caregiving’ was held on November,  12, 2024 at the Ambassador Hotel, New Delhi. Moderated by Dr. Sona Mitra, Director of Research and Policy at IWWAGE, and co-hosted by IWWAGE and The Quantum Hub as part of the Future of Work series, the event aimed to explore the complexities of elderly care and the challenges of integrating women into the formal caregiving workforce.

The event featured an esteemed panel of experts from academia, industry, and policy. Discussions sought to unpack the opportunities and challenges within the elder care sector, highlighting its crucial role in empowering women economically.

Radha Chellappa, Executive Director, IWWAGE, began the session by emphasising IWWAGE’s strategic focus on the care economy. She noted, “The lack of elder care support significantly reduces women’s participation in the workforce. Geriatric care must adopt a multidimensional approach, extending beyond physical needs to holistic well-being.”

Sonakshi Chaudhry, Manager, Strategic Partnerships & Communications, The Quantum Hub, provided a demographic analysis, drawing attention to India’s ageing population and the feminisation of ageing, which sees elderly women facing heightened vulnerabilities due to limited financial independence. She stated, “The elder care market holds immense potential. A 2% investment of GDP could create 11 million jobs, addressing gendered occupational segregation and boosting women’s employment through technology-driven health services.”

Participants examined innovative models, including Japan’s community care hubs and Denmark’s universal elder care systems. Indian initiatives, such as Bengaluru’s Nightingale Centres and the Ministry of Social Justice’s Integrated Centres for Senior Citizens, were commended. Kerala’s palliative care policy was highlighted as a replicable example of community-led, nurse-centric care.

The discussions underscored the need for robust policies to address the feminisation of ageing and ensure affordable elder care. Dipa Sinha, Independent Researcher advocated for stronger social security measures, such as pensions for informal workers. Mini Sukumar, Member, Kerala State Planning Board, showcased Kerala’s community-based programs that bridge funding and resource gaps.

Workforce transformation was a key focus, with recommendations for upskilling caregivers, improving job stability through flexible arrangements, and fostering international opportunities. Mitali Nikore, Founder, Nikore Associates, proposed leveraging public-private partnerships (PPPs) to reimagine skill development and create aspirational career pathways in elder care.

Sonal Shah, Founder – The Urban Catalysts emphasised the role of spatial planning in developing elder-inclusive urban environments, such as multigenerational care facilities that promote intergenerational engagement and reduce caregiving burdens. Debasis Barik, Senior Fellow – NCAER stressed the importance of early healthcare interventions for middle-aged individuals to ensure healthier ageing populations and reduce future care needs.

Speakers, including Karina Bhasin, Program Manager, UNDP and Priya Anant, Founder, LifeCircle Home Care, discussed the transformative potential of technology in elder care, such as virtual care ecosystems and monitoring platforms. However, they cautioned that the human touch in caregiving remains irreplaceable, calling for balanced integration of technology.

In her closing remarks, Professor Rama Baru, former Professor at JNU,  called for greater state involvement to ensure equitable elder care solutions. She stated, “The government must balance regulation with affordability, leveraging partnerships without abdicating responsibility.”

The roundtable concluded with actionable recommendations, including developing elder-inclusive infrastructure, fostering care entrepreneurship, and creating pathways for intergenerational knowledge transfer.

IWWAGE at the second edition of the Asia Pacific Care Forum in Bangkok

IWWAGE at the second edition of the Asia Pacific Care Forum in Bangkok

The second edition of the Asia Pacific Care Forum took place in Bangkok from October 22-24, 2024. Organised by UN Women and the Global Alliance for Care (Alianza Global por los Cuidados), alongside various partners, the forum brought together a diverse array of stakeholders from across the Asia-Pacific region. Over three days, participants collaborated to develop a shared vision for reshaping economies with “care” at their core.

Sruthi Kutty, Senior Policy Manager at the Institute for What Works to Advance Gender Equality (IWWAGE), co-facilitated a dynamic breakout session with Civil Society Organisations to craft a “Vision for Transforming Care Systems in Asia Pacific.”

The session’s insights were shared during a plenary panel discussion, which explored opportunities, challenges, and recommendations for strengthening the care economy and advancing women’s economic empowerment.

The session was moderated by Nansiri Iamsuk, Migration Programme Specialist at UN Women Asia and the Pacific. Other panellists included YB Puan Anfaal Binti Saari, Chair of the Standing Committee on Women & Family Empowerment, Social Welfare & Care Economy, Selangor State Government, Malaysia; Dr Seema Bhatia-Panthaki, Director of the Gender Equality Platform at AVPN; and Ricar Pascoela, Director of the Working Women’s Center, Timor-Leste.

IWWAGE at the 2nd Gender Dialogues

IWWAGE at the 2nd Gender Dialogues, organised by UN Women and the Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi

Sona Mitra participated in the second Gender Dialogues, organised by UN Women and the Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi, to discuss the crucial issue of shaping policy actions for building a comprehensive care ecosystem. The second Gender Dialogue was organised on September 14, 2024

IWWAGE – an initiative of LEAD at Krea University – is dedicated to advancing Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE). By collaborating with diverse stakeholders, IWWAGE strives to contribute to the development of an enabling care ecosystem that not only empowers women but also drives inclusive economic growth and development.

IWWAGE at National Seminar on Women and Employment in India

IWWAGE at National Seminar on Women and Employment in India, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh

 

At the National Seminar on Women and Employment in India, held from September, 3 to 5 2023, in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, Bidisha Mondal, Senior Research Fellow at IWWAGE – an initiative of LEAD at Krea University, shared valuable insights. Organised by the Centre for Development Studies (Rajiv Gandhi University) and the Institute for Human Development, the seminar explored the challenges faced by women in the Indian workforce.

Bidisha presented a co-authored paper with Sona Mitra titled “Women’s ‘Willingness’ to Work: Evidence from Five States in India,” which emphasised the importance of adopting a more comprehensive perspective on labour underutilisation, beyond conventional unemployment statistics.

The seminar addressed critical topics such as the limitations of official surveys, low female labour force participation, and workplace gender discrimination.

Workshop on Financing Quality Childcare Facilities in India

Workshop on Financing Quality Childcare Facilities in India held at Ambassador Hotel, New Delhi on August 22, 2024

On 22 August 2024, IWWAGE, in collaboration with Mobile Creches, hosted a workshop on “Financing Quality Childcare Facilities in India.” The event aimed to bring together experts, policymakers, and practitioners to deliberate on creating sustainable childcare solutions across various settings, including urban slums, construction sites, and government premises.

The workshop commenced with opening remarks from Sona Mitra, Director of Policy and Research at IWWAGE, who set the context for the day. This was followed by a keynote address from Amneet P. Kumar, Commissioner & Secretary to the Government of Haryana, WCD, chaired by Chavi Vohra, Executive Director of Strategy & Impact at Mobile Creches.

Subsequent special addresses from Sunil Kumar Yadav, Director at NULM, MoHUA, and Ritu Dewan, President of the 64th National Conference of ISLE, provided a deeper perspective on the critical need for investment in Early Childhood Development (ECD).

Key discussions focused on vital aspects such as financial provisions for different creche operational models, catering to settings like urban slums, construction sites, and government premises. The study underpinning the event analysed Early Childhood Development (ECD) budgets across four states and included primary data to identify essential expenditure areas for running creches.

Divya Singh, Senior Research Manager at IWWAGE, presented the findings of an extensive study, highlighting ECD budgets from four states and essential expenditure areas for operationalising creches. Chirashree Ghosh, Executive Director of Operations & Partnerships at Mobile Creches, shared key recommendations and actionable steps towards advancing ECD funding and infrastructure.

The workshop concluded with a lively roundtable discussion where participants from diverse organisations shared insights, challenges, and innovative ideas for enhancing childcare systems. The event ended with a vote of thanks by Sruthi Kutty, Senior Policy Manager at IWWAGE, followed by a networking lunch.

Key Takeaways:

  • Strengthening financial provisions for diverse childcare models.
  • Insights from ECD budget analysis and primary data.
  • Collaborative pathways for scaling up sustainable childcare facilities.

The discussions and recommendations from this workshop will serve as a foundation for shaping policies that prioritise quality child care in India. Stay tuned for the full report and further updates on this initiative!

Building Resilient Communities: Women and Sustainable Ecosystems

IWWAGE at the convening organised by the National Commission for Women – India, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)INDIA, and UN Women. “Building Resilient Communities: Women and Sustainable Ecosystems” on July 30, 2024

 

On July 30, 2024, at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan in New Delhi, Moumita Sarkar, Co-Lead of SWAYAM, IWWAGE, participated in a thought-provoking panel discussion at a multi-stakeholder convening organised by the National Commission for Women – India, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) INDIA, and UN Women.

The session, titled “Social Protection through NRLM – Creating an Enabling Environment through Strengthened Community Institutions: Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM),” featured an exceptional panel, including Dr. Sarita Anand from ROSHNI – Centre of Women Collectives Led Social Action, Sarbani Bose from PRADAN, and Seema Bhaskaran from Transform Rural India. 

 

Moumita Sarkar explored the intricacies of gender-intentional design within DAY-NRLM, shedding light on SWAYAM’s technical and learning partnership. She shared valuable insights on gender-transformative pilots across various Indian states, emphasising the opportunities they create for grassroots women’s leadership and the pressing need for convergence.

The panel also addressed ongoing initiatives to standardise training resources, provide gender integration advisories, and develop gender operational strategies within DAY-NRLM.

Empowering Women at Work: Advancing the Care Economy

In an interview with People Matters, Sona Mitra underscores the importance of creating a care economy that empowers women. Despite being indispensable, the care economy—which includes childcare, elder care, and domestic work—often remains undervalued and overlooked.

Mitra emphasises the need to recognise and fairly compensate unpaid care work, which is predominantly undertaken by women.