CII Gender Policy Symposium Initiates A Dialogue Towards Evidence-Based Approach To Gender-Responsive Public Policies

The Gender Policy Symposium– an initiative of the Alliance for Global good- gender equity and equlality, hosted by the CII Centre for Women Leadership in partnership with Karmannya Counsel, brought together policymakers, researchers, economists and development leaders at ITC Maurya, New Delhi. 

The dialogues and conversations at the policy symposium explored the data-driven approaches to shaping inclusive policies that advance gender equity, particularly in public schemes, health, and climate resilience. The event focused on translating research into action and called for a shift toward context-specific, inclusive governance frameworks.

In her opening address, Ms. Rumjhum Chatterjee, Chairperson, CII Centre for Women Leadership, welcomed delegates with a reminder that inclusive policy isn’t just about intent—it must be backed by data, designed through lived realities, and implemented with accountability. Setting the tone for the day, Ms. Rumjhum Chatterjee highlighted that The Alliance for Global Good, founded by Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani and anchored by the CII Centre for Women Leadership, has been a strong voice for gender equity across global forums. Supported by the Gates Foundation and with the World Economic Forum as its network partner, the Alliance is working across the Commonwealth, Africa, and India to drive evidence-based gender action.

The symposium featured the launch of three key research reports:

▪ Improvising upon the widely prevalent Global Gender Gap Index, The report “The Global Gender Gap Index: The Need for Contextualized Insights”, calls for broader gender equality metrics, including unpaid care work, mental health, and grassroots leadership. It proposes adding a fifth domain on social equity and combining outcome-based data with input measures like service access and policy commitment.

▪ The report “Gender Mainstreaming in Public Policy: An Impact Assessment of PMAY-G and JJM” finds that while access to housing and water has improved, closing gender gaps requires complementary policies and stronger on-ground implementation.

▪ The report on “The Impact of Heat on the Health of Women in India- A Cross-sectional Study” outlines 10 priority actions to guide climate and public health policy, including strengthening health systems, integrating mental health services, improving workplace protections, ensuring inclusive communication systems among other recommendations.

Speaking at the gender Policy symposium, Smt. Smriti Irani, Founder of the Alliance for Global Good: Gender Equity and Equality, highlighted the need for a truly global perspective, “The pathway to equity cannot be restricted to one geography, one nation state. It has to be reflective and resonate across geographies, across nations.”

Ms. Shamika Ravi, Member Economic Advisory Couincil to PM opines that “We are in the realm of precision policy making where we are looking at having disaggregated data till the block level”

With strong participation and a focus on actionable insights, The Gender Policy Symposium demonstrated how evidence and leadership can align to create transformative policy shifts for gender equity in India. It served not just as a platform for discussion, but as a catalyst for change. With its emphasis on data, lived experience, and collaborative problem-solving, the event reinforced the need to redesign public policy that truly works for women across regions, sectors, and identities.

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