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Women's Day: Here's how organisations are moving the needle on gender inclusivity

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New Delhi, March 8 (IANS) An occasion like International Women’s Day continues to evoke mixed reactions in society. While the world has shed a lot of dogma which had prevented women from exploring and succeeding in roles considered to be male bastions, there is still a long way to go before women get to experience the liberating feeling of emancipation in all walks of life.

In the past few years, organisations have assiduously worked towards building a gender-inclusive culture to ensure women professionals get the chances they deserve and are not hamstrung by prejudices.

For instance, Sun Life Global Solutions has unique initiatives in place to ensure an inclusive working environment.

“At Sun Life Global Solutions, we recognise the importance of fostering an inclusive environment where everyone, regardless of gender or orientation, can thrive. Our Employee Resource Groups, such as SunStree, have been instrumental in providing a platform for women employees to address challenges, access developmental opportunities, and prioritize their well-being. By expanding our ERGs to include initiatives like WomenInTech and WorkingFamilies, we aim to advance inclusion and amplify diverse voices across our organisation,” says Rajeev Bhardwaj, Vice President & CHRO, Sun Life Global Solutions.

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Caspian Debt, meanwhile, has managed to achieve the distinction of seeing its women employees lead a male-dominated segment.

“Caspian Debt had set a goal of having at least 30 per cent of our teams comprising women. We are proud to share that we have surpassed this target with 45 per cent of our team being women. Not only that, a majority of our investment team is also made up of women, which is rare in financial institutions.

“We are committed to providing an equitable work environment and offer the flexibility to work from home for up to 6 days a month. Additionally, new parents, both men and women, are given extra work from home time until their child reaches the age of 36 months, allowing for shared parenting responsibilities,” said Avishek Gupta, MD & CEO, Caspian Debt.

At Vedanta Sesa Goa, the holistic well-being of female workforce has been bolstered with a ‘No Questions Asked’ work-from-home policy.

“At Vedanta Sesa Goa, we are committed to creating an environment where women not only excel but lead on regional, national, and international stages. Beyond professional achievements, we prioritise the holistic well-being of our female workforce, offering support such as sabbatical leaves for post-birth care and a ‘No Questions Asked’ work-from-home policy to ensure their mental and physical health.

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Proud catalysts of their metamorphosis, we shape personal and professional growth, nurturing sustainable societal advancement,” said Navin Jaju, CEO – Sesa Goa, Vedanta Ltd.

Organisations now realise that by integrating diversity and inclusion as key pillars, they will be able to achieve inclusive growth.

“I believe that for a society to progress, it’s essential not only to have women represented but also empowered. While it’s good to see organisations promoting diversity and inclusion (D&I), this shift should be structural and integral to their core design strategies and also backed by thoughtfully designed policies. Women possess the ability to forge connections and enact meaningful change and I feel fortunate to be in an era where we are all privy to this, across industries and globally,” said Carina Chopra, Head of Marketing, Lightspeed India.

Raintree Foundation, which recognises that building a society that is fair and equal depends on the active participation of women at all levels of society, engages women to have control over community resources and gets them involved in decision-making processes.

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“Gender equality is often framed as an urban issue, but true transformation requires equal, if not greater, focus at the grassroots level. At our project site in Velhe, in the Western Ghats region, we are empowering rural women through career exposure visits, focused health camps, and Gram Sabha participation. This approach helps break down traditional barriers and promote a more inclusive mindset. Our workshops on gender equality in rural schools and gender-inclusive intervention protocols offer practical tools for lasting change.

“Through education and open dialogue in our village sessions, we have empowered 212 women and 154 girls to become active participants in community stewardship, paving the way for a resilient and prosperous society for all,” said Namita Dandekar, Chief Operating Officer of Raintree Foundation.

–IANS

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BJP ran away from debate in MP Assembly, says Jitu Patwari

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Bhopal, July 6 (IANS) Madhya Pradesh Congress Chief Jitu Patwari on Saturday accused Chief Minister Mohan Yadav-led BJP government of running away from the debate in the Assembly.

He claimed that the Assembly was adjourned sine die nine days before its schedule because the Congress legislators raised public issues in the House.

The monsoon session of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly that had begun in July, was adjourned sine die on July 5, while the session was scheduled to run till July 14.

“The BJP adjourned the House hurriedly because the Congress exposed their failure. Even the BJP MLAs were questioned over Nal Jal Yojana, which is why the Assembly was adjourned before its scheduled time,” Patwari said during a press conference.

He also claimed that the BJP government did not reply to 64 per cent of the questions asked during the monsoon session.

“Congress and BJP MLAs have asked a total of 4,270 questions, of which 2,756 went unanswered,” Patwari said.

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Meanwhile, the State Congress Chief targeted Chief Minister Yadav over unemployment and the law and order situation in the state.

–IANS

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Kerala HC asks Railways to manage waste on tracks

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Kochi, July 6 (IANS) The Kerala High Court has slammed Indian Railways for the waste found besides tracks and directed it to ensure proper disposal of garbage.

A Division Bench of the High Court made these observations while hearing the case that was registered by it suo motu after a fire broke out at Brahmapuram, near here and also dealing with the management of gypsum generated by Fertilizers & Chemicals Travancore Limited (FACT).

The court observed that Railways has a duty to prevent the disposal of waste on tracks.

It said that while the waste generated near the railway stations was managed, not much was being done to remove garbage from the side of the tracks.

The court said the main reason for this dumping was that train compartments do not have adequate garbage bins.

It further pointed out that the waste disposed on the tracks flows into water bodies causing damage to the environment.

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The court, looking into the two cases, directed Indian Railways to file an affidavit detailing the steps taken to clear the plastic waste from tracks.

On the second issue, the court expressed whether the gypsum generated could be used in road construction and asked FACT and the National Highway Authority of India to explore the possibility.

The court posted the case for further hearing on July 26.

–IANS

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Bolpur tragedy: Two persons arrested, extra-marital affair emerges

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Kolkata, July 6 (IANS) The police have arrested two persons, including a woman, in connection with the carnage at Bolpur in West Bengal’s Birbhum district which killed three members of the same family.

The woman who has been arrested in this connection is Smirti Bibi, who is the wife of Sheikh Ratan, the younger brother of Sheikh Tuta, 40, who was killed in the carnage.

Besides, Sheikh Tuta, his wife Rumpa Bibi, 30, and son Ayan Sheikh, 94, were also killed in the carnage.

Sheikh Safiqul, a quack residing in an adjacent village, with whom Smirti Bibi allegedly had an extra-marital affair, had also been arrested in connection with the incident.

Based on the complaint lodged by other members of the family, there were often quarrels in the family over an alleged extra-marital affair.

The family members as well as the neighbours of the family have informed the police that since Sheikh Tuta was vocal against this extra-marital affair, both Smirti Bibi and her paramour had developed a grudge over the deceased person.

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On early Friday morning, the room where the three deceased individuals were sleeping was set on fire.

While Rumpa Bibi and Ayan Sheikh died on Friday only after they were brought to the hospital, Sheikh Tuta died early Saturday morning.

The local police have started an investigation into the matter.

Sources said that based on statements of different persons as well as some circumstantial evidence, the two persons were arrested on Saturday.

–IANS

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Rowdy elements should be afraid of the police, says K’taka CM

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Bengaluru, June 6 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Saturday that rowdy elements should be afraid of the police, adding that it is a shame that some policemen do not even know that the e-beat system is in place.

“Why are you given guns? Why are rowdies not afraid of it,” Siddaramaiah questioned the state police while speaking after the inauguration of the 2024 Senior Police Officers Conference at the police headquarters here.

He also released a new software on the occasion.

“Who are the drug dealers? The respective station officials know who the rowdies and real estate agents are.” He asked why it was not stopping.

He congratulated Home Minister G. Parameshwara and the Karnataka Police for maintaining law and order without communal riots in the state in the last one year.

The CM gave a clear instruction that it is mandatory for every SP-DCP-IG to visit and inspect every station in their jurisdiction as per the police manual.

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–IANS

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PM Modi congratulates Iran's new President Pezeshkian

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New Delhi, July 6 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday congratulated Masoud Pezeshkian for his election as Iran’s new President.

“Looking forward to working closely with you to further strengthen our warm and long-standing bilateral relationship for the benefit of our people and the region,” PM Modi said in a post on X.

India-Iran partnership in various sectors, including connectivity, has expanded tremendously in recent times, especially during the tenure of Iran’s late President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi who passed away in a helicopter crash in May this year.

India had also observed a day’s state mourning as a mark of respect to the late Iranian President and other eight people, including the country’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, who lost their lives in the tragic accident.

It was also under India’s presidency that Iran joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

Both countries have fast-tracked infrastructure cooperation, focusing especially on the Chabahar project and the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) – the 7,200 km-long multimodal trade corridor linking Russia with India via the ports of Iran.

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–IANS

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