The Role of Men in Women's Empowerment with Dorothea and Ravi

At the current rate of progress, the UN estimates it could take 300 years to achieve full gender equality. People have been working to create gender equity but the results aren’t making enough of a difference. Is one solution – including men in gender empowerment? The International Center for Research on Women (ICRW), Hand in Hand and Cartier have teamed up to better understand what it would take to help men, help women. In some parts of the world, a conflux of challenges face people – women’s role is perceived as predominantly in the home, visiting friends, or making money is at her husband’s discretion. In these same places few people are employed in the formal economy and living on less than $2.15 a day – and micro-entrepreneurship is the only route out of poverty. It is these places that Hand in Hand have focused their work. This podcast peels back the data to reveal the impacts of men and women’s engagement to create gender equity. Three years ago, Hand in Hand started an ambitious new project to shift the norms and attitudes that hold women entrepreneurs back in rural Arusha, Tanzania – working with International Center for Research on Women and Cartier Philanthropy. Today we hear from Social Impact Pioneers Dorothea Arndt, and Ravi Verma as they share the learning from this work. Dorothea is the CEO of Hand in Hand. Hand in Hand are the global network of charities supporting women to lift their families out of poverty by launching their own businesses. In the last 20 years they have supported 4.2 million enterprises and helped to create 6 million jobs. Whilst Dr Ravi is the Director, ICRW Asia. With more than three decades of experience in programmatic research and evaluation in family planning and reproductive health, gender mainstreaming and HIV/AIDS in countries throughout Asia. Ravi and Dorothea together bring a wealth of experience and expertise to creating lasting gender equality. Together they emphasise the importance of involving men and communities in women's empowerment. They particularl