With the three-day International Conference on Gender Equality (ICGE) coming to a close, the Gender Park in Kozhikode finds itself in a better position to ensure gender equality in social business, sustainable entrepreneurship and create more opportunities for women to break into the enterprise mainstream.
The Gender Park campus, inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, houses a gender museum, a convention centre, a gender library and an amphitheatre in its phase-I. The CM also laid the foundation stone for the International Women’s Trade and Research Centre for women entrepreneurship and marketing. He hoped state’s Gender Park and Trade Centre would attract world attention.
Health Minister K K Shailaja said the Gender Park would serve as a model for economic, social and entrepreneurial upliftment of women and the transgender community. The minister, who was an active participant in the summit, said the recommendations made at the ICGE would be brought to the attention of the government.
Second edition of the International Conference on Gender Equality, held at the Gender Park in Kozhikode during Feb.11-13, gave a clarion call for inclusive growth without gender bias. The summit which discussed sustainable entrepreneurship and social business was marked by the participation of innovators and leaders from political, economic and social arena, cutting across geographies. The three-day conference also deliberated on the changes to be made in policy-making and social transformation.
Gender Park will act as a catalyst for innovations that promote social entrepreneurship and sustainability. It will also be an active venue for art, design thinking, entrepreneurship and research. The fact that gender will no longer be an obstacle in implementing innovative ideas is what Gender Park is credited for. This is also a matter of global interest.
ICGE-II has become the flagship programme of the Gender Park as it successfully convened a hybrid event during the time of a pandemic by bringing speakers virtually and physically to the Kozhikode Gender Park.
Economist Dr. Jayati Ghosh pointed out that technology should be able to reduce the workload of women in the home. She also spoke about the job losses to women induced by covid-19.
Organised in collaboration with UN Women, ICGE-II saw participation of 90 speakers from over 20 countries. The three-day event was in hybrid format, keeping with Covid protocol and carbon neutral guidelines.
Renana Jhabvala , a social activist and SEWA president, said that women contribute to country’s economy and GDP both domestically and professionally.
The summit also discussed the challenges faced by the transgender community. Advocates of women’s cause underscored the need to spread awareness on entrepreneurship for the sake of their upliftment. Aishwarya Rutuparna Pradhan, the first IAS Officer from the transgender community, was a notable presence at the ICGE.
The conference discussed the challenges and possibilities of women in art, cinema, entrepreneurship, media and technology. Prominent dancer Mallika Sarabhai said Covid has presented a good time for women to start their own ventures.
Gender Park will act as a catalyst for innovations that promote social entrepreneurship and sustainability. It will also be an active venue for art, design thinking, entrepreneurship and research. The fact that gender will no longer be an obstacle in implementing innovative ideas is what Gender Park is credited for. This is also a matter of global interest.
