India’s Development Sector Must Invest In Women Leaders

We need to help enable the future of the sector by ensuring that India’s development sector is at the forefront of being a just, accessible, inclusive, diverse and equitable space for all

Over the past several years, there is a marked increase in the global conversation around women’s equality & representation. From international initiatives dedicated to increasing women’s political participation, to the platforming of women-led community initiatives, it is heartening to see a broader acknowledgment of the systematic social barriers’ women experience, and concerted efforts to correct that.

This progress, however, is coupled with a growing antagonism towards women’s empowerment & autonomy. From the overruling of Roe v. Wade in the United States to the ever-widening wage gap across nations, the fight for true gender equality remains as urgent as ever.

Within India, we face a plethora of social and cultural challenges which impede the movement towards equality. The World Economic Forum’s recent Gender Gap Report suggests that female labour force participation in India declined from 31 per cent in 1990 to 21 per cent by 2019. The report places India at the 135th position in the world. It states that the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 made things worse, with 47 per cent of women suffering permanent job losses due to the pandemic’s impact on the economy and employment.

However, the problem of the dismal representation of women in the Indian workforce is more complex than it appears. Take, for instance, the case of the development sector.

The Development Sector is unified by its underlying ethos of justice, and commitment to tackling the most complex social challenges, to build an equitable India. While the sector has made significant strides in tackling these challenges, the impetus to support women in the workforce has not been the priority. This has manifested in some dire statistics – according to a 2015 Dasra survey of 328 social purpose organisations, women comprised close to 53 per cent of employees across designations.

Yet only 34 per cent of them were in managerial positions and only 19 per cent of organisations were led by women. Leaders in the sector unanimously acknowledge that having gender diversity among boards and leadership positions adds value through well-rounded perspectives. So, what’s preventing them from identifying, nurturing, and promoting women leaders? Once again, the answer isn’t simple.

A variety of factors prevent women employees from rising in social purpose organisations. A large percentage of women leaders state that the dominant form of leadership style present in their organisations, that which is continually validated, is one based on principles of aggression, competitiveness, and bullishness. Women tend to lead by demonstrate leadership styles which integrate collaboration, empathy, and openness, which while may achieve the same results & build a healthy organisation culture, is often perceived to be ‘weaker’. Male leaders, then, are simply attributed to be more natural leaders. The entrenched sexism in the value attached to different leadership styles is a key barrier in women leaders being selected for senior leadership positions.

Further, a key issue which is pervasive in the sector, is the disproportionate distribution of women in Program roles, as opposed to cross-functional management roles. These roles are often viewed as a form of ‘care work’; women leaders are more likely to be relegated to them, with the underlying belief that women are better suited to handle this form of work. Not only does this place a host of assumptions on women leaders, it limits access to other forms of work, such as fundraising, operations, and strategic management. Critically, this experience is essential in leaders moving into senior leadership roles, such as those at CXO levels which require a certain degree of cross-functional experience. A reorientation of how we think about gendered forms of work is essential to build an equitable distribution of roles & responsibilities across an organisation.

Then, there are issues related to the broader networks women may be embedded in – or not. Women leaders describe their distance from existing male-dominated cross-sectoral career networks, spaces where critical conversations around leadership & growth occur. These play a significant role in building one’s professional network, as well as providing opportunities to interact with leadership coaches & mentors. Mentorship continues to be cited as one of the most important factors in advancing one’s leadership path; from the advice mentors provide in navigating personal & professional challenges, to introducing them to key sectoral stakeholders, having a mentor invested in your trajectory is essential. When women leaders are distanced from such networks, as with current ‘old boys clubs’, such opportunities remain inaccessible.

On a singular level, women leaders often describe experiencing ‘Imposter Syndrome’, a phenomenon which causes women to downplay their expertise and success, attributing it to external factors, rather than their own hard work & skill. Additional familial responsibilities, including elder & childcare, is disproportionately placed on women, with the belief that their personal life must always come before their profession. This expectation is not the case for most men. To support women leaders, organisations must take a pronounced stance, and enable flexible working policies, childcare provisions, and platform the achievements of women leaders across the sector.

It is essential that we have an open, and honest discussion on the challenges women leaders in the sector face. This issue is complex and multi-faceted, and one which has no single solution. We need organisation leaders to prioritise investing in women’s leadership development, across the board. We, at ILSS, truly believe that we need to help enable the future of the sector by ensuring that India’s development sector is at the forefront of being a just, accessible, inclusive, diverse and equitable space for all. Supporting emerging women leaders in the sector is just the first step in this journey.

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