Women in Labour

In this episode of Women in Labour, former editor of India Today Magazine, author, wife and mom of two boys, Kaveree Bamzai makes the case that mothers should actively make time for the things that bring them joy—without letting guilt creep in. With special guest Kaveree Bamzai: Kaveree Bamzai is the author of ‘No Regrets: The guilt-free woman's guide to a good life’. Former editor of India Today, she has worked in journalism for over 30 years in organisations such as Indian Express and The Times of India. She is a TEDx speaker, committed member of several juries such as the CII Woman Exemplar Awards and ISC-FICCI Sanitation Awards, as well as a changemaker for Save the Children India. MORE TO READ. Kaveree’s column for ‘Open’: https://openthemagazine.com/author/kaveree-bamzai/ Kaveree’s column for ‘The Daily O’: https://www.dailyo.in/user/16/kavereeb This 2019 ‘SheThePeople.TV’ interview with Kaveree: https://www.shethepeople.tv/books/kaveree-bamzai-motherhood-guilt-regrets This 2019 Asian Age article: https://www.asianage.com/age-on-sunday/091119/living-life-on-ones-own-terms.html MORE TO LISTEN. Episode 11 of ‘Stutee’s Book Club’ podcast featuring Kaveree: https://hubhopper.com/episode/11-kaveree-bamzai-no-regrets-the-guilt-free-womans-guide-to-a-good-life-1574841842 MORE TO WATCH. Kaveree’s 2019 TEDx talk, titled ‘Do What Your Mother Did’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTZWFTWUC_Y This JLF 2020 panel featuring Kaveree: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwzJ2CdYGeA A BIG THANKS Women In Labour is generously supported by a grant from the American Center, New Delhi. All opinions, findings, and conclusions are those of Women In Labour and its hosts only — and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of State.

Former Senior Adviser to the World Bank, recipient of multiple awards, author of ‘Chup’ and founder of ‘Chup Circles’, Dr. Deepa Narayan explores women’s learned habits, pleasing behaviors and deference to men, resulting in a vicious cycle of silence. She argues that, despite the veneer of gender equality that middle and upper-middle-class women wear, we’re still only trying to unlearn these habits. And that our stories are more similar to each other’s than we’d like to believe. Listen to Dr. Deepa Narayan, in conversation with Aditi and Christina, as she encourages you to make yourself heard, even in the face of a society that constantly yells “Chup!” With special guest Dr. Deepa Narayan: Dr. Deepa Narayan is the author of the ground-breaking book, Chup: Breaking The Silence About India’s Women. Previously she was the Senior Adviser at the World Bank where she wrote the influential Voices of the Poor series. She was named one of the 100 most influential global thinkers by Foreign Policy Magazine in the USA as well as one of India’s 35 Great Thinkers by India Today. She is a TED speaker and founder of Chup Circles and Conscious Caring, conversational spaces in the time of COVID-19. Her opinion pieces have been published widely including in the New York Times, The Guardian, The Vogue, The Hindu, and Hindustan Times. MORE TO READ. This 2018 TOI interview with Dr. Narayan: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-times/all-that-matters/many-of-us-are-feminists-with-bad-habits/articleshow/63247690.cms This 2018 WaPo piece about Dr. Narayan and ‘Chup’: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2018/03/12/why-indias-modern-women-say-its-a-burden-to-be-female/ This 2018 Vogue piece by Dr. Narayan: https://www.vogue.in/content/deepa-narayan-the-shocking-secrets-i-learned-about-indian-women This 2018 Elle piece by Dr. Narayan: https://elle.in/article/deepa-narayan-modern-urban-indian-woman/ This 2018 TheQuint interview where Aditi talks about women’s laughter: https://www.thequint.com/entertainment/aditi-mittal-peformance-at-leddis-night-ladies-finger World Bank, 2000, ‘Voices of the Poor’ http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/131441468779067441/Voices-of-the-poor-can-anyone-hear-us MORE TO WATCH. Dr. Narayan’s TED Talk, titled ‘7 beliefs that can silence women — and how to unlearn them’: https://www.ted.com/talks/deepa_narayan_7_beliefs_that_can_silence_women_and_how_to_unlearn_them?language=en This short clip featuring Dr. Narayan talking about the issue of gender inequality: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8ZPQ1TzDMI This short video about ‘Chup’ by Juggernaut Books: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0aNjk6fZ-g A BIG THANKS Women In Labour is generously supported by a grant from the American Center, New Delhi. All opinions, findings, and conclusions are those of Women In Labour and its hosts only — and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of State.

Born in 1970s America to two brilliant Indian economists, Anuradha Bhagwati struggled with her identity (and still maintains that her relationship with it is complicated). However, her unique experiences led her, incredibly, to the US Marine Corps where she encountered, challenged and battled sexism and harassment. A compelling story, narrated by Bhagwati in her book Unbecoming, and then to WIL hosts Aditi and Christina, this is a story of courage, defiance and, most importantly, empathy. With special guest Anuradha Bhagwati: Anuradha Bhagwati is the author of the critically acclaimed book, ‘Unbecoming: A Memoir of Disobedience’. She is a Marine Corps veteran, writer, activist, yoga and meditation teacher, and has won numerous awards for her work. She founded the Service Women’s Action Network (SWAN), which brought national attention to sexual violence in the military and helped repeal the ban on women in combat. Anuradha is a regular media commentator on issues related to national security, women’s rights, civil rights, and mental health. She lives in New York City with her service dog Duke. MORE TO READ. This 2020 TheOpen interview with Anuradha: https://openthemagazine.com/special/anuradha-bhagwati-women-make-incredible-marksmen/ This 2019 LA Times piece: https://www.latimes.com/books/la-ca-jc-fob-unbecoming-anuraha-bhagwati-20190412-story.html This 2019 TOI interview with Anuradha: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-times/all-that-matters/i-wasnt-allowed-to-choose-my-career-or-love/articleshow/69805383.cms This 2019 The Week piece: https://www.theweek.in/theweek/leisure/2019/07/05/anuradha-bhagwati-opens-up-on-battling-sexism-racism-sexual-harassment.html MORE TO LISTEN. This ACLU ‘At Liberty’ podcast episode with Anuradha: https://soundcloud.com/aclu/how-one-woman-took-on-misogyny-and-sexual-violence-in-the-military This NPR interview with Anuradha: https://www.npr.org/2019/05/22/725755600/how-can-we-protect-women-in-the-military-from-sexual-misconduct MORE TO WATCH. Anuradha in conversation with Brittney Cooper: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTq0p2BdCfA Anuradha in conversation with Soraya Chemaly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzs5_4OGp2U This JLF Panel titled ‘Women and Work’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi9uG08IXns A BIG THANKS Women In Labour is generously supported by a grant from the American Center, New Delhi. All opinions, findings, and conclusions are those of Women In Labour and its hosts only — and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of State.

Dr. Ashwini Deshpande is a professor of Economics at Ashoka University...and our go-to person to help us make sense of all the data around India's declining Female Labour Force Participation Rate. In this episode of Women in Labour, Dr. Deshpande simplifies some of the jargon to get straight to the heart of the matter—why are women in the country falling out of work? P.S. Watch out for some major truth bombs! With special guest Dr. Ashwini Deshpande: Dr. Ashwini Deshpande is a Professor of Economics at Ashoka University, India. Her Ph.D. and early publications have been on the international debt crisis of the 1980s. Subsequently, she has been working on the economics of discrimination and affirmative action, with a focus on caste and gender in India. She has published extensively in leading scholarly journals and has authored and edited a number of books and monographs. Dr. Deshpande received the EXIM Bank award for outstanding dissertation (now called the IERA Award) in 1994, and the 2007 VKRV Rao Award for Indian economists under 45. MORE TO READ. This 2020 The Wire article by Dr. Deshpande: https://thewire.in/education/virtual-instruction-online-teaching-isolation-covid-19-work-from-home-pedagogy This 2019 The India Forum article by Dr. Deshpande: https://www.theindiaforum.in/article/visible-and-invisible-barriers-women-working-india This 2017 Indian Express article by Dr. Deshpande: https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/gender-gap-indian-ranking-in-world-gender-disparity-4962303/ This 2016 Ideas for India piece: https://www.ideasforindia.in/topics/social-identity/women-and-the-indian-job-market-glass-ceiling-or-sticky-floor.html This 2015 Ideas for India piece: https://www.ideasforindia.in/topics/human-development/adult-education-knowledge-and-confidence.html MORE TO LISTEN TO. Episode 6 of the INTER-LINKED Podcast, featuring Dr. Deshpande: https://nickledanddimed.com/inter-linked-a-global-affairs-podcast/ MORE TO WATCH. This panel on Diversity and Inclusion at Institutes of Higher Education: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ff6TAslCBE0 Dr. Deshpande’s interview with the Centre for Sustainable Employment: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGVC424KiQwvLQVJ10w3xLZHl2AKbIf8l Dr. Deshpande at an IGC panel discussion (Dec 2019) on ‘Gender and Labour’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yw1ds7jMIg&list=PLPPPhjBKRX4t4nosXDfTe5vZ5tZg0lLDQ&index=3 A BIG THANKS Women In Labour is generously supported by a grant from the American Center, New Delhi. All opinions, findings, and conclusions are those of Women In Labour and its hosts only — and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of State.

Award-winning producer Guneet Monga is a hustler—in every sense of the word. In this episode of Women in Labour, the founder of Sikhya films talks to Aditi and Christina about her relationship with the hustle, the side jobs she’s worked (including selling Laughing Cow cheese and DJ-ing), first moving to Bombay, and how she made and distributed her first film at the age of 22 (spoiler alert: it's genius). With special guest Guneet Monga: Guneet Monga has been redefining Indian films and their journeys with diverse new-age projects, including the Oscar-winning Period. End of Sentence (2019), The Lunchbox (2013), Masaan (2015), and Gangs of Wasseypur (2011). One of the first Indian producers to be inducted into the Producer's Branch of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts And Sciences and featured in Variety's International Women's Impact Report 2018, Guneet Monga is a force to reckon with and a game-changing producer in Indian cinema. She is the youngest person to be conferred with the ‘Most Powerful Women in Indian Business Award’ by Business Today in 2014 and was voted as one of the top 12 women achievers in the Global Entertainment Industry by The Hollywood Reporter. In 2019, Guneet won Producer of the year at the GQ awards. MORE TO READ. This 2019 LiveMint piece about Guneet: https://www.livemint.com/mint-lounge/features/guneet-monga-world-citizen-1553841314069.html This 2018 Bloomberg piece about Guneet (excerpt from ‘Changemakers’): https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-10-20/excerpt-how-guneet-amarpreet-kaur-monga-transformed-bollywood MORE TO WATCH. Check out Sikhya’s projects: http://sikhyaentertainment.com/projects/feature-films/ Guneet’s 2019 TEDx talk, titled ‘Show Up’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JUhARVz8MU Guneet’s 2015 TEDx talk, titled ‘Passions- Evolving with Life’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9-M0IjNvh4 Guneet on Son of Abish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KSlJe_oADE This Quint feature on the stars of Period. End of Sentence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akbIwXA-6es A BIG THANKS Women In Labour is generously supported by a grant from the American Center, New Delhi. All opinions, findings, and conclusions are those of Women In Labour and its hosts only — and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of State.

Indian women do more unpaid work at home than anywhere else in the world - and, of course, more than men. Episode 5 of Women in Labour tackles questions of methodology, division of labour, and nomenclature. Are institutions reproducing patriarchal structures in the world of work? And what in the world can we do about it?! The hilarious and brilliant Dr. Ritu Dewan tells us! With special guest Dr. Ritu Dewan: Dr. Ritu Dewan is the Vice President of the Indian Society of Labour Economics, and President of the Indian Association for Women’s Studies (2014-17). She was, till her retirement, the first-ever woman Director of the Department of Economics, University of Mumbai, and the founder-member of the first Centre for Gender Economics in Asia. She is widely published on a range of issues — with over a hundred publications, including 30 books and monographs. MORE TO READ. ‘Invisible Work, Invisible Workers,’ 2019: https://www2.unwomen.org/-/media/field%20office%20eseasia/docs/publications/2019/04/in-invisible-work-and-invisible-workers-compressed.pdf?la=en&vs=1549 This 2019 News18 article: https://www.news18.com/news/buzz/can-the-govt-get-my-husband-to-make-tea-indian-housewives-are-tired-and-yet-their-work-is-nothing-2060431.html Dr. Ritu Dewan’s publications on ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ritu_Dewan The PLFS 2017-18 Annual Report: http://mospi.nic.in/sites/default/files/publication_reports/Annual%20Report%2C%20PLFS%202017-18_31052019.pdf?download=1 This 2019 Business Standard article: https://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/more-women-are-self-employed-in-india-fewer-hold-salaried-jobs-119070200112_1.html MORE TO WATCH Dr. Dewan on the gendered work continuum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbOi67YJSgQ Dr. Dewan on the sub economics of paid and unpaid work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzDcL_Axxt8 This IDS, UK video on unpaid work, poverty, and women’s/girls’ human rights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVW858gQHoE This Ariel #ShareTheLoad ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAxm23SjHDo A BIG THANKS Women In Labour is generously supported by a grant from the American Center, New Delhi. All opinions, findings, and conclusions are those of Women In Labour and its hosts only — and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of State.

Ever noticed how our public spaces and workplaces are full of men? Dr. Shilpa Phadke encourages women to take back the city with something revolutionary: loitering. In this episode, we ask how public spaces play a role in women's commutes, why women have to justify their presence in public spaces, and why loitering could be the revolution we need. With special guest Dr. Shilpa Phadke: Dr. Shilpa Phadke is a sociologist and associate professor at the Centre for Media and Cultural Studies at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. She is also a co-author of ‘Why Loiter? Women and Risk on Mumbai Streets,’ an absolutely seminal text about how women access public space in cities. MORE TO READ. This 2019 YKA interview with Dr. Phadke: https://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2019/11/loitering-as-resistance-interview-with-shilpa-phadke-for-16daysofactivism/ This 2019 interview with Amy Lamé: https://www.smartcitiesworld.net/city-lights/city-lights/city-lights-amy-lame-night-czar-london-3789 This 2019 Scroll piece by Dr. Phadke: https://scroll.in/article/926148/mere-populism-kejriwal-plan-to-make-transport-free-for-delhi-women-could-actually-transform-city This 2017 Scroll piece by Dr. Phadke: https://scroll.in/article/859979/what-kirron-kher-could-learn-from-women-who-actually-use-public-transport This 2017 Indiaspend piece by Namita Bhandare: https://archive.indiaspend.com/cover-story/why-87-of-delhi-homes-start-worrying-if-women-are-not-home-by-9pm-98297 2017, ITDP and Safetipin, ‘Women and Transport in Indian Cities’: https://itdpdotorg.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/181202_Women-and-Transport-in-Indian-Cities.pdf This 2016 piece in The Hindu: https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/Give-women-equal-access-to-public-spaces/article14308408.ece MORE TO LISTEN TO. Episode 5, ‘Not safe in public’ of the HearMeToo podcast by Indian Express: https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hdWRpb2Jvb20uY29tL2NoYW5uZWxzLzQ5ODI3MDAucnNz&episode=aHR0cHM6Ly9pbmRpYW5leHByZXNzLmNvbS9hdWRpby9oZWFyLW1lLXRvby9ub3Qtc2FmZS1pbi1wdWJsaWMvNTQ2NzExMy8 MORE TO WATCH. Dr. Phadke’s TEDx talk, titled ‘Why Loiter?’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlgGNv5t92A ‘Khadar ki Ladkiyan’, from the ‘Gendering the Smart City’ project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7d6awx1E1J8 A BIG THANKS Women In Labour is generously supported by a grant from the American Center, New Delhi. All opinions, findings, and conclusions are those of Women In Labour and its hosts only — and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of State.

What does it feel like to have a very public pregnancy? Twitter’s India and South Asia Director of Public Policy, and new mom, Mahima Kaul did just that. And then lived to tell the tale. With a great sense of humor and incredible insight, Mahima discusses what questions to-be moms should be asking about maternity leave, and how to take on leadership roles post-pregnancy With special guest Mahima Kaul: Mahima Kaul is Twitter's Director, Public Policy for India & South Asia, where she engages on the internet public policy issues with government, regulators, academia, and civil society. She also manages the #TwitterForGood program, which works with NGOs and charities, focusing on issues of internet freedom, online safety, crisis and emergency, women in tech, and access. Prior to this role, she ran the cyber initiative at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) and continues to be Co-Chair of their cyber platform, CyFy. She has written on internet governance and digital inclusion for the Indian Express, Hindustan Times, Index on Censorship, Global Policy Journal, among other publications. MORE TO READ. Mahima’s article in LiveMint: https://www.livemint.com/opinion/columns/when-a-bump-makes-you-size-up-a-corporate-policy-11576166721387.html India’s Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017: https://labour.gov.in/sites/default/files/Maternity%20Benefit%20Amendment%20Act%2C2017%20.pdf This article on Paternity Leave: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/spotlight/is-india-ready-for-paternity-leave/articleshow/69801652.cms This iDiva interview with Mahima: https://www.idiva.com/career/advice/mahima-kaul-the-young-new-face-of-digital-india/17030895 Mahima’s article in Hindustan Times: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/let-s-talk-about-trolls-our-job-is-to-ensure-platform-continues-to-be-a-place-for-diverse-views-twitter/story-KnsPyMyh8v1kDVcnO1yqZL.html MORE TO WATCH. This Anouk ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rz5rAFAvqCs This SheThePeople panel titled ‘Feminism In India: Do Women Want to Have it All?’: https://www.shethepeople.tv/top-videos/feminism-in-india-do-women-want-to-have-it-all Mahima on women’s participation on social platforms: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4RbLh-zcGQ Mahima at the #NAMA conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CYRrCQ9hzE This BusinessInsider interview with Melinda Gates: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=BuYfALzDPrY&feature=emb_logo A BIG THANKS Women In Labour is generously supported by a grant from the American Center, New Delhi. All opinions, findings, and conclusions are those of Women In Labour and its hosts only — and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of State.

Can working women thrive in a man's world? Sports reporter Mayanti Langer should know. She talks to us about her boundary-breaking journey that actually began with football, not cricket, and how there are more women in her industry today than ever before, in episode two. With special guest Mayanti Langer: Mayanti Langer is among India’s most prolific sports journalists and broadcasters. She’s worked with every major sports channel in the country and has hosted seven World Cups across three different sports. Currently, Mayanti can be seen changing the game (!) and being a badass on Star Sports. MORE TO READ. Forbes profile on Mayanti: http://www.forbesindia.com/article/sports-special/mayanti-langer-on-the-right-pitch/53693/1 Verve profile on Mayanti: https://www.vervemagazine.in/people/game-face MORE TO WATCH. Myntra Ad — Game Changers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbTWBTWCJbE MissField S1E13: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMBrVwU7qfE Firstpost interview: https://www.firstpost.com/videos/sports/mayanti-langer-on-international-womens-day-length-of-my-hemlines-is-not-going-to-affect-the-result-of-a-cricket-match-4382247.html A BIG THANKS Women In Labour is generously supported by a grant from the American Center, New Delhi. All opinions, findings, and conclusions are those of Women In Labour and its hosts only — and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of State.

It’s hard to believe fewer Indian women are working now than fifteen years ago. But it’s true — and Namita Bhandare was one of the first journalists to shine a light on this mind-boggling fact. If you’re left wondering what, how, or why — this episode will examine the big picture of what impacts women in the workforce, what’s changed, and why this decline is happening. With special guest Namita Bhandare: Namita is an award-winning journalist and all-round amazing personality, with nearly 30 years of reporting experience. In 2013, she broke new boundaries by becoming India’s first gender editor for Mint. She now writes on gender for The Hindustan Times, Mint, IndiaSpend, and Foreign Policy. MORE TO READ. Indiaspend series: https://archive.indiaspend.com/cover-story/why-indian-workplaces-are-losing-women-our-nationwide-investigation-begins-53927 Namita in the Hindustan Times: https://m.hindustantimes.com/columns/namita-bhandare 2017 World Bank paper: http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/559511491319990632/Precarious-drop-reassessing-patterns-of-female-labor-force-participation-in-India 2019 ILO paper: https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---dcomm/---publ/documents/publication/wcms_674831.pdf MORE TO LISTEN TO. Namita on the Seen and the Unseen podcast: https://seenunseen.in/episodes/2019/8/5/episode-132-women-at-work/ MORE TO WATCH. JLF Women and Work panel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi9uG08IXns JLF Visible Work, Invisible Women panel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwgyi7fshyE Share the Load campaign: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QDlv8kfwIM A BIG THANKS Women In Labour is generously supported by a grant from the American Center, New Delhi. All opinions, findings, and conclusions are those of Women In Labour and its hosts only — and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of State.