SHELeads Talk Series at Woxsen University Champions Gender Parity and Leadership
Event highlights gender inclusivity as essential for societal growth and economic advancement.
Woxsen University’s School of Arts & Design hosted its latest SHELeads Talk Series on September 22, featuring Valbha Shakya, Deputy Director at the Confederation of Indian Industry’s (CII) Centre for Women Leadership. In a compelling dialogue with Zareen Zakir, Shakya emphasised gender inclusivity as a critical driver for economic and social progress, urging organisations, policymakers, and families to prioritise equity to unlock women’s leadership potential. The event, held at Woxsen’s 200-acre campus in Hyderabad, underscored the university’s commitment to fostering transformative discussions on gender and leadership.
Shakya highlighted that leadership traits like vision, empathy, and adaptability are gender-neutral, distinguishing between equality (equal rights) and equity (addressing specific barriers). “Equity is the path; equality is the goal,” she said, citing global data showing gender parity could add $12 trillion to global GDP by 2025, with India potentially boosting its GDP by 60% and creating 166 million jobs for women.
Despite India’s 43% female representation in STEM education—the world’s highest—women hold only 12-18% of STEM leadership roles due to the “leaky pipeline” exacerbated by career breaks like motherhood. She advocated for equitable policies, such as flexible work arrangements and re-skilling programmes, to retain talent, stressing, “Organisations must ask, not assume, women’s needs.”
Addressing cultural and workplace barriers, Shakya debunked tokenism, calling for meaningful inclusion where women’s voices shape decisions. She praised India’s progressive measures—extended maternity leave, entrepreneurial loans, and 46% female representation in Panchayat bodies—but noted implementation gaps, with India ranking 131st in the 2025 Global Gender Gap Index.
Shakya also underscored the role of male allies in challenging biases and mentoring women, alongside CII’s efforts to promote female leadership in male-dominated sectors like logistics. Drawing from her upbringing, she urged families to nurture girls’ leadership from childhood through sports and unconventional pursuits, free from restrictive norms.
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Woxsen University, a leading private institution in Telangana, continues to champion such dialogues through initiatives like SHELeads, aligning with its global academic stature, evidenced by its QS Business Masters World Ranking 2025 (#9 All India) and top rankings in BBA, B.Tech, Design, and B.Arch programmes by Outlook I-CARE.
Shakya’s call to action framed gender parity as vital for sustainable growth, resonating with Woxsen’s mission to drive social impact. “True inclusion is about strategic empowerment, policy support, and cultural change,” she concluded, inspiring attendees to bridge the gap between policy and practice for a more equitable future.
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