Time for #RevolutioNaaris
A burning problem today is the lack of women in the workforce around the world. This problem is a lot more pronounced in India and one of the key inflection points in this is marriages. According to a report by the National Family Health Survey, the scary reality is that 77 years after Independence, 68% married women are not part of India’s workforce.
Societal norms and expectations to run domestic affairs alone push around 50% of the women in India out of the workforce after marriage. Another 30% exit after they have children. Being dependent compromises their dignity, independence and alleviates oppression. It’s time for a revolution. It’s time for #RevolutioNaaris Let’s bring our women back to work and in the process become one of the world’s largest economies which will drive opportunities, growth and prosperity for all.
This is not just a mission, it is India’s destiny.
Women in the Indian workforce: Reality that needs change
Women represent <25% of the work-force in India. This is significantly lower than theglobal average, which is at 39%
Women contribute to only 18% of India’s GDP
68.3 percent of women graduates in urban India are not in paid jobs.*
India’s female labour force participation rate was ranked at 121 out of 131 countries in 2013, one of the lowest in the world**
Shaadi.org x Udayan Care
A step towards more women in the workforce
We are proud to partner with Udayan Care, an organisation striving to drive systematic change to transform lives for the last 30 years.
As the name suggests Udayan Care’s Shalini Fellowship (Udayan: eternal sunrise and Shalini: dignified woman) is a programme designed to empower women. Spread across 13 states it is a constant endeavour that no girl with the drive to learn is denied her dream, due to lack of support. From financial support to holistic development, Udayan Shalini empowers women every step of the way.
Since 2002, this programme has inducted over 12,737 girls. 4500+ girls are already graduates in different disciplines, pursuing fields like Engineering, Medical, Chartered Accountancy, Company Secretary, Vocational, Nursing, and Computer Science, among others. This is only the beginning for all our #RevolutioNaaris. Shaadi.org aims to bring back at least 10 million women to the workforce.
Time for #RevolutioNaaris
Deepanshi:
An upcoming civil servant
In a world where societal pressures often dictate the path for women, Deepanshi has courageously stood against the norms and expectations imposed upon her.
She lost her parents at a young age so she had to take care of her siblings. With Udayan Shalini giving her the financial support she needed, she started making her dreams come true. Taking tuitions to earn for her siblings and studiying and clearing the UPSC exam.
While her relatives may have expectations for her to marry early, this #RevolutioNaari remains dedicated to building a successful career as a civil servant.
Kajal Lambe:
A Medical Hero
Kajal’s financial crunch and family hardships were overpowered by her determination to change her story.
After completing her B.Sc. in Lab Technician, her future looked full of financial hurdles & uncertainty. The Udayan Care Shalini Fellowship enabled her dream to pursue PGDMLT. In the pandemic, she volunteered in the COVID Department of K.E.M Hospital. With an inspirational career, she is also embarking on her marriage journey.
Learn, Earn, Return, Repeat. Kajal has embodied this philosophy in every way. To say that she is truly a #RevolutionNaari is touching the tip of the iceberg.
Aarti:
A Teacher and Inspiration
Be the change you wish to see in the world. Aarti does this beautifully every day. Despite coming from a background of financial hardships, Aarti was determined to write her own destiny. Through the Shalini Fellowship, she realised that she wanted to nurture young minds so they could get the opportunities she got.
As she pursued her career as an educator, she found herself in a new city after marriage. While the change was challenging, her dream was too big to let go of. She continued to teach, transforming one life at a time. A naari for many #RevolutioNaaris.
Women in tech & start-ups - A bleak picture
Tech is changing the world and as a country our ambitions of becoming a uperpower hinges on the number and the size of tech companies we will be able to build. The unfortunate truth is that while it seems like we’re moving forward, women are being left behind here too.
Importantly, one of the biggest problem the tech industry is facing is shortage of talent and the absence of women here, is further exacerbating the issue.
Only 5 out of the 136 unicorns in India are founded by women*
Female founders raised just 2% of VC money in 2021***
Out of the 10,000 angel investors in India, only 1% are women**
Women represent only 23% of India’s VC work-force, with less than 15% representation in senior leadership roles^
Women represent only 14% of the entrepreneurs in India, majority of which are self-funded^^
Female Student enrolment in technology & engineering is <30% in India$
***Leap Club study
The potential impact
If only 10% women are added back to the workforce, we can add more 770 Billion USD to India’s GDP in 7 years time.*
Closing the gender gap can add 35% to our GDP**
If 50% of women in India join the workforce, India could add a significant 1.5% points to its GDP growth every year
That is effectively a 20% increase in our GDP Growth Rate
Organizations with a higher female representation are more likely to have a stronger bottom-line
Let’s bring our women back to work and in the process become one of the world’s largest economies which in turn will drive opportunities, growth and prosperity for all.
Our efforts to drive change
Learn Coding
Access to free Coding & English courses
Financial Literacy
Empower women with financial knowledge that can help secure their futures
Interview Support
Offer support for job identification, interview preparation & salary negotiation
Changing Mindsets
Awareness campaigns that can influence societal views and effect change.
