Author Archives: admin

Key Insights from One-Year Pilot Studies Under Swashakt: Brief Overview

Sujatha Srinivasan, Aishwarya Joshi, Neha Parakh

India has one of the lowest female labour-force participation rates in South Asia. Even when women set up enterprises, 98% of these remain in the ‘micro’ category. Women in rural India face additional gender barriers to income generation, and in … Read More

Key Learnings from One-Year Pilot Studies Under Swashakt

Sujatha Srinivasan, Aishwarya Joshi, Neha Parakh

India has one of the lowest female labour-force participation rates in South Asia. Even when women set up enterprises, 98% of these remain in the ‘micro’ category. Women in rural India face additional gender barriers to income generation, and in … Read More

Eighth Roundtable of ASEAN-India Network of Think-Tanks | Navigating a World in Transition: Agenda for ASEAN-India Cooperation

Our Executive Director, Sharon Buteau, spoke at a session on Digitalisation and MSME development at the Eight Roundtable of ASEAN-India Network of Think-Tanks. … Read More

AVPN South Asia Summit 2024

The AVPN South Asia Summit 2024 brings together social investors, philanthropists, and changemakers to inspire action and accelerate social progress throughout South Asia, with LEAD serving as the outreach partner for the event. … Read More

Swashakt – Learning and Insights on Empowering Women’s Collectives

Sujata Srinivasan, Senior Research Fellow at LEAD, presented insights at the 3ie Swashakt evaluation workshop, highlighting the role of women-led collectives in promoting sustainable livelihoods and economic empowerment. … Read More

Land Ownership and Implications for Women’s Labour Force Participation: Research to Policy

LEAD hosted a virtual consultation with The Open University UK and partners to explore collaborative research aimed at understanding how gendered property dynamics affect women’s economic access in India. … Read More

Trustworthy Women: Deconstructing India’s Last Mile Intermediaries

Ava Haidar

How do women intermediaries build trust in rural India’s last-mile delivery? In part 3 of this series, Ava Haidar from Aapti Institute deconstructs the vital role of ASHAs, Anganwadi Workers, and Bank Correspondent Sakhis in bridging communities with digital services … Read More

Customising Trust Relationships: Why Women Need Digital Control

Manvi Parashar

How can women truly feel safe and in control in today’s digital spaces? In part 2 of this series, Manvi Parashar from Aapti Institute explores how cultural norms and family monitoring in India make online engagement tricky, highlighting the need … Read More

Digital Dividends: Understanding the Use of Social Commerce by Women Entrepreneurs in Rural India

Nasscom Foundation, LEAD at Krea University

India’s entrepreneurial landscape is witnessing notable shifts in recent years, prominently marked by the rise of women-led businesses across various industries. A notable 65% of these enterprises are based in rural areas, illustrating the essential role of Information and Communication … Read More

Accelerating Financial Inclusion of SGBs through Digital Infrastructure | ANDE 2024 Global Annual Conference

Our Partnerships & Outreach Director, Preethi Rao, co-anchored a discussion on how India’s innovative approach to digital infrastructure is addressing the financing gap for SGBs. … Read More