Join us for a compelling episode where we delve into the vital topic of Gender Equity in Technology Access, uncovering the challenges and uncovering opportunities for enhancing livelihoods. Our guest, Mousumi Kabiraj, a Research Analyst at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), brings invaluable insights from her work on gender inclusion in energy-livelihood sectors.
What to Expect in This Episode:
Identifying the Barriers: We begin by discussing the significant hurdles that women encounter in accessing and utilizing technology for their livelihoods. Mousumi sheds light on the socio-economic, cultural, and infrastructural challenges that persist.
Policy Solutions: Explore the effective strategies and policies that can promote gender equity in technology access. Mousumi highlights impactful initiatives that have successfully empowered women through technology.
Impact Across Spheres: How does the disparity in technology access affect women's opportunities in education, employment, and healthcare? We look at how these inequalities affect various facets of life.
Reaching the Unreached: Mousumi discusses ways to ensure that technology reaches not only urban women but also those in remote and rural regions, fostering inclusivity and equal opportunities.
The Power of Digital Literacy: Discover how digital literacy can empower women, bridge the technology gap, and create a more equitable digital landscape.
Inclusive Tech Development: We conclude by examining the impact of gender diversity in the tech industry and discussing approaches to develop more inclusive technologies.
Meet Our Guest: Mousumi Kabiraj is not only a researcher but a passionate advocate for empowering women through innovative and sustainable technology solutions. Her experiences range from grassroots projects in rural India to influential policy-making discussions, making her a formidable voice in the drive for gender equity.
Mousumi is a Research Analyst in the Powering Livelihoods team at The Council. She is involved in ideating, researching, and writing knowledge products about the best practices to effectively integrate gender inclusion among energy-livelihood businesses.
Before joining The Council, Mousumi worked with Indian Grameen Services. She primarily focused on developing project ideas on natural resource-based, climate-resilient and gender-focused livelihood opportunities for rural communities. In addition, she was engaged as a researcher in the GiZ project to assess the potential of renewable energy interventions in the fishery value chain in West Bengal, India.
Mousumi is also a Fellow at the Young Women Leaders Fellowship, a 6-month program conducted by The Red Door to nurture young women leaders in the areas of gender, disability, mental health, and sexuality. During her tenure, she participated in 'The Red Door Resilience Project' and designed modules for the Resilience Building workshop from a gender lens for young girls in Madhya Pradesh.
Mousumi holds a postgraduate degree in Conservation and Livelihood Management from the Indian Institute of Forest Management, Madhya Pradesh, and an undergraduate degree in Mathematics Honours from the University of Calcutta. During her Masters, she interned with the Foundation for Ecological Security to conduct the longitudinal assessment of Satkosia Watershed in Odisha. Along with, assessing the impact of watershed management on empowering women by applying the Women Empowerment Index developed by The Hunger Project.
We invite you to listen, learn, and engage with us as we tackle these crucial issues together, striving for a future where technology access is truly equitable. Join the conversation and be part of the change!
