Wishing all Friends a Happy, Safe, Healthy and Peaceful 2021!
I had never heard of the Singapore Fintech Festival (SFF) 2020. Imagine my (Jeemol Unni) surprise when I got an invite to Moderate a Panel at the Festival. A Panel titled: Women’s Participation in the Economy post COVID-19. It turned out that the women panel members were all entrepreneurs in their own right. So we turned the discussion into how women entrepreneurs cope and what needs to be done to help their enterprises to grow in normal times and in the aftermath of the pandemic.
This video records the entire 3rd Day, December 3rd, at the World Fintech Festival 2020, in partnership with the Singapore Fintech Festival. The recording is for all of TWELVE HOURS! Please watch, our Panel of ONE Hour is recorded from 2.50 hours to 3.50 hours on this video link, listen here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6kv8E7wvK4
Also proud to note that this video link also has a very interesting discussion with Nandan Nilekani, Infosys, India, the architect of the Aadhar. See link from 7.52 hours to 8.13 hours
World Fintech Festival 2020, co-sponsored with Singapore Fintech Festival 2020.
Panel: Women’s Participation in the Economy post COVID-19
Moderator: Dr Jeemol Unni, Professor, Ahmedabad University
Panel: Dharitri Patnaik, Chairperson, FLO, FICCI
Ritu Verma Co-Founder & Managing Partner, ANKUR Capital (Early investor in equity capital)
Hardika Shah, CEO and Co-Founder, Kinara Capital (Debt capital)
I present below the issues we discussed in our one hour Panel.
World Fintech Festival 2020, in participation with the Singapore Fintech Festival
| Date | December 9th , 2020 11:25 AM – 12:30 PM India time |
| Title of the session | Women’s participation in the economy post COVID-19 |
| Format | Panel discussion |
| Brief on the Session | Women labour force participation in India was already low at 23.3% in 2017-18. Pandemic further affected this indicator where many migrant workers including women who were part of urban economic systems had to leave their formal and informal sector jobs and return to native villages/areas. It is expected that this period of financial stress will add to existing social challenges for women of household. However, on the flip side, as economy is now opening post lockdown, it provides an opportunity to question the status quo and challenges norms to increase women’s participation in labor force and at the same time recognize their existing participation in primary sector that goes unnoticed. |
| Moderator/Panellist/Speaker | Moderator: Dr Jeemol Unni, Professor, Ahmedabad University Panel: Dharitri Patnaik, Chairperson, FLO FICCI Ritu Verma Co-Founder & Managing Partner, ANKUR Capital Hardika Shah, CEO and Co-Founder, Kinara Capital |
| SFF MC | Will introduce the Speakers briefly |
| Moderator: Jeemol Unni | Will briefly introduce the broad topic for discussion |
| Panelists | Moderator will request each Panelist to introduce themselves and their organization’s work briefly: Ritu, Kinara Capital, as early investor, equity capital; Hardika, Ankur Capital, Debt-loan; Dharitri, FICCI-FLO, entrepreneur and civil society |
| Moderator Question 1 | As we now look towards the future in 2021, what can be the path your organization (equity, debt, FLO) can follow to create opportunities to increase women labour force participation, strengthen women’s socio-economic status and improved financial health Ritu, Kinara Capital, as early investor, equity capital Hardika, Ankur Capital, Debt-loan Dharitri, FICCI-FLO, entrepreneur and civil society |
| Moderator Question 2 | What do you think is the role of mentoring to help women grow as workers or entrepreneurs. Does your organisation help in mentoring? Ritu, Kinara Capital, as early investor, equity capital Hardika, Ankur Capital, Debt-loan Dharitri, FICCI-FLO, entrepreneur and civil society |
| Moderator Question 3 | What do you think has changed since the pandemic for these women workers? How do you think your organization, private sector, civil society and/or the policy makers can do to increase women labour force participation and improved financial health Ritu, Kinara Capital, as early investor, equity capital Hardika, Ankur Capital, Debt-loan Dharitri, FICCI-FLO, entrepreneur and civil society |
| SFF MC | Will conclude discussion |
Thank you friends and hope you enjoyed and gained from the discussion at the World Fintech Festival 2020!
Unni-Verse 