Engaging Diaspora Indian Women Entrepreneurs in Building Sustainable Mechanisms for Gender Issue Support in India: Challenges and Opportunities

Upala Devi Banerjee, Emerging Leader, International Fellows Program ~ 2004

Abstract

Ms. Banerjee sought to explore the issue of sustainability for initiatives like the South Asian Women's Fund (SAWF) and the prospects for generating diaspora funding. Acknowledging that raising funds in the diaspora for gender-related issues faces many challenges, Ms. Banerjee offers specific recommendations on what is needed to build sustainable funding for gender rights and empowerment issues in South Asia

These include:

• Increasing the availability of data about programs, services, policy, and research for women and girls in order to show that targeted giving makes a difference.
• Evaluating programs that have been supported and highlighting their successes; and
• Launching a peer-to-peer mentoring and communication program among Indian women entrepreneurs and their American counterparts.

To request the full version of the paper, please click here.