Partners: Gender and Policy Lab, Greater Chennai Corporation, Ford Foundation

Various interrelated factors influence women’s decisions regarding their choice of worksite, whether at home or in public spaces. These choices are shaped by safety, societal norms, childcare availability, economic necessity, job types, infrastructure, health considerations, support systems, and policy frameworks. Perceptions of safety also interact with the built environment to influence women’s mobility and access to opportunities.

As part of an initiative to understand women’s experiences of safety and mobility, LEAD at Krea University conducted and supported projects to gather evidence on women’s mobility and safety experiences in and around Chennai and the Special Economic Zone of Sri City. In this webinar, researchers shared key insights from the portfolio of studies and invited inputs from participants on strategies for creating a more enabling, safe and inclusive environment for women workers through policy and practice.

Featured Speakers

Research Presentations

Women’s Experiences of Safety and Mobility in Chennai’s Public Spaces, and Impact on Workforce Participation

• Sujatha Srinivasan, Senior Research Fellow, LEAD at Krea University

Women’s Employment, Wellbeing and Safety Experiences in Special Economic Zones: Insights from Sri City

• Santanu Pramanik, Research Director, LEAD at Krea University

Discussants

• Meera Sundarrajan, Team Lead, Gender Policy Lab, Greater Chennai Corporation
• Sona Mitra, Director – Research & Policy, IWWAGE

Experts delved into intersectional factors in the landscape and explored recommendations for policy and practice. Watch this video spotlight of our learnings — featuring voices and candid insights from women workers across segments. More details forthcoming.