IIM-Ahmedabad to host the GEDI Dialogue on June 14, 2009

IIMA, June 12, 2009: The Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIMA) will be hosting the Gender Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity (GEDI) Dialogue on Sunday, June 14, 2009. The United Nations Development Programme, India, is the knowledge partner for the event.

Prof. Samir Barua, Director, IIMA will deliver the inaugural address during the inaugural session which is scheduled at 9.30 am at the Conference Hall, KLMDC, IIMA, Main Campus.

Representatives from the government, members of non-governmental organizations, corporate and academics will participate in the seminar, which aims at addressing gender issues from the perspective of four key players in the domain: government, NGOs, corporate and academia. The one-day seminar will begin with short presentations by a panel comprising four speakers: Mallika Sarabhai (Activist); Srimathi Shivashankar (Principal Diversity Officer, Infosys); Sunaina Tomar (Secretary, Women and Child Development Department, Government of Gujarat); and Anil Gupta (Professor, IIMA). The presentations will be followed by breakout groups in which discussions on experiences will lead to proposals on the way forward. 

The Seminar will address the following areas:

* Recession and its impact on gender issues * CSR and gender

* Women entrepreneurship    * Health and gender

* Gender responsive budgeting   * Education and gender

* Work environment     * Gender policies, legal aspects and

* Social networking    environment in relation to human development

The dialogue is distinct in nature as it is based on discussions of real life experiences and attempts to posit issues and propose processes for handling the same.

Substantial work on gender issues has been done by different stakeholders. While the focus for each has been different, there is a thread of commonality which strings together efforts across domains: the need to amend, change, and fortify existing policies, procedures and processes. It is with this goal in mind that participants will bring their findings and experiences to the table at The GEDI Dialogue.

The GEDI concept of gender includes both men and women. At the seminar, we will thus have both male and female participants sharing knowledge, arriving at a common understanding of “gender issues” and preparing a road map for addressing gender issues at the societal and corporate level.

For additional information, please contact:

• Prof. Asha Kaul, Chairperson, Gender Resource Centre, IIMA. Phone: 079-6632-4902;
• Prof. Prathap Oburai, Marketing Area, IIMA, Phone: 079-6632-4942;
• Prof. Smeeta Mishra, Communications Area, IIMA, Phone: 079-6632-4956

Events Knowledge Partner: United Nations Development Programme, India

 The GEDI Dialogue

14th June 2009 

AGENDA      Venue (KLMDC, Old Campus)

Time

8.30 to 9.30 am   Registration   KLMDC, Reception

9.30 am to 10.00 am      Conference Hall, KLMDC

Welcome Speech  Prof. Smeeta Mishra

Inaugural Speech  Prof. Samir Barua, Director, IIMA

Programme Overview Prof. Asha Kaul

10.00 am to 11.00 am  Talk by Panelists  Conference Hall, KLMDC

Introduction of the speakers    Prof. Smeeta Mishra

1. Prof. Anil Gupta, Professor, IIMA
2. Ms. Srimathi Shivashankar, Principal Diversity Officer, Infosys
3. Ms Sunaina Tomar, Secretary, Women and Child Development Department, Government of Gujarat
4. Ms Mallika Sarabhai, Activist

Vote of Thanks     Prof. Smeeta Mishra

Briefing on the breakout groups   Prof. Asha Kaul

(organization and conduct)

11.00 am to 11.15 am Tea/Coffee Break

11.15 am to 1.30 pm Breakout Groups (Discussions and Structuring of Presentations)

Syndicate Rooms 1, 4, 5-11

1.30 pm to 2.15 pm  Working Lunch

2.15 pm to 3.30 pm  Thematic Presentations: 01 to 05 Conference Hall, KLMDC

3.30 pm to 3.45 pm  Tea/Coffee Break

3.45 pm to 5.15 pm  Thematic Presentations: 06 to 09 Conference Hall, KLMDC

5. 15 pm to 5:45 pm  Discussion and Wrap Up  Conference Hall, KLMDC

5. 45 pm to 6.00 pm  Distribution of certificates (Dean) Conference Hall, KLMDC

6.00 pm to 6:15 pm  Closing Ceremony and Plans for the Future   Conference Hall, KLMDC

Discussions in Syndicate Rooms

*All the Discussions would run parallel. (Venue: Syndicate Rooms No. 1 and 4, 5 -11.)