Women constitute a significant percentage of the urban poor population in India and tend to suffer greater impacts of poverty due to inter-gender (male-female) and intersectional discrimination due to regionalism, religion, caste, age, marital status, disability, and sexual orientation. Women’s lack of access to tenure, housing and urban habitat contributes to women’s increasing poverty and vulnerability. Access to secure tenure and shelter for women are considered as key determinants of economic and social well-being. In recent years, this has received considerable attention globally. In India too there have been several reforms in customary laws, and policy to promote gender equality to enable access to land and housing for women.

Supported by the Tata Trusts, WRI India is currently undertaking a study titled Women at the Centre Stage: Tenure, Housing and Basic Services from a Gender Lens. As WRI India embarks on this study, we will provide an overview of national policies and publicly accessible gender-disaggregated data concerning tenure, housing, and basic services through a gender perspective. Subsequently, eminent professionals and stakeholders will be invited to deliberate on how gender led approaches could foster more responsive urban habitat policies, missions and programs.

OUR SPEAKERS

1. Kanta Singh, Deputy Country Representative, UN Women India
2. Parul Agarwala, Country Programme Manager, UN-Habitat India
3. Justin Jebakumar, Director, Government Relations, Habitat for Humanity India
4. Manikandan K P, Institution Builder, Indian Housing Federation
5. Shweta Singh, Chief Human Resources Officer, Sitara (SEWA Grih Rin Limited)
6. Roshini Diwakar, Senior Consultant, Mahila Housing Trust
7. Nidhi Batra, Founder, Sehreeti Developmental Practices
8. Rejeet Mathews, Program Director, Urban Development, WRI India
9. Shikha Srivastava, Head, Urban Poverty Alleviation, Tata Trusts
10. Shahena Khan, Consultant, Sustainable Cities, WRI India