Speaking at The Economic Times Women's Forum, Cherie Blair, lawyer and founder of Cherie Blair Foundation for Women gave a powerful speech supporting all women. She said every women has the power to make a difference, regardless of her sector or sphere of influence. She listed a few guiding principles that India could apply to unleash the power of half a billion. Blair asked women to be the change they wish to see in the world, and urged them to support each other. “Create supportive, professional networks for women in your sector and workplaces. Listen, learn and share with one another. Celebrate and elevate one another. Hire one another.”
Blair said investing in women is often the best investment one can make, “because empowered women empower others.” She added, “While there are challenges we all share as women, there are also many differences in our experiences. That's why it's so important that we push for a diversity of women's voices to be heard. For example, women with disabilities, from marginalised communities, LGBT and from different socio-economic backgrounds.” Praising India's vibrancy and entrepreneuralism, Blair said it's this boundless energy that plays a huge part in India's incredible rise as a geopolitical and economic powerhouse.
However, considering that India has one of the world's lowest rates of female participation in the labour force, 65 per cent of Indian women with college degrees are out of work. Blair said the opportunity is the unlimited potential of Indian women as business owners, job creators and leaders in their communities. “The statistics on women's economic empowerment in India make for disappointing reading, but we must remember that women are so much more than one-dimensional statistics.”
During her time at Downing Street, Blair travelled the world and met countless women in India and beyond, who were striving to set up businesses to create better lives for themselves and their families. “I soon realised that with the right support and the right tools, these women could go on to achieve amazing things - not just for themselves, but for their families and communities too,” she said. Established in 2008, the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women has supported over 140,000 women from more than 100 countries.
