The session, focusing on the intersection of law, gender equity, and women empowerment, will be moderated by Pallavi Mehra, Senior Group Director at Informa Markets India & Chairperson-Focus Group for Women in Leadership IEIA, with Anjana Gosain, Legal Advisor to IATO and a Practising Lawyer at Delhi High Court, leading the discussion as a speaker.
The Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) is set to break new ground at this year’s convention in Bhopal by organising its first-ever business session dedicated to the critical issue of legal challenges in women empowerment. The session, titled “Legal Challenges for Women Empowerment,” promises to be a key discussion, focusing on the intersection of law, gender equity, and empowerment. The session will be moderated by Pallavi Mehra, Senior Group Director at Informa Markets India & Chairperson-Focus Group for Women in Leadership IEIA, with Anjana Gosain, Legal Advisor to IATO and a Practising Lawyer at Delhi High Court, leading the discussion as a speaker.
Notably, Women empowerment is not just an ideal; it is a fundamental human right and a key driver of economic growth and social stability. However, despite the progress made in recent years, women continue to face significant challenges, particularly in the workplace. A recent and distressing example of the dangers women still face at their workplace including harassment and insufficient support systems highlights the brutal reality that, despite advancements in education and professional opportunities, women are still vulnerable to violence. These are also a stark reminder that the fight for women’s rights and safety is far from over.
Further, the systemic issues like pay inequality and the lack of women in leadership roles, underscore the urgent need for comprehensive measures to protect and empower women. Addressing these challenges requires a multifaceted approach, including stricter enforcement of laws, better workplace policies, and a cultural shift towards gender equality.
Besides addressing these challenges, the session will address the critical role of education and employment in empowering women and the legal challenges that arise in these areas. The conversation will include global perspectives and local realities, reflecting on how far we have come and the challenges that still lie ahead. The core principles of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5), importance of legal protections for women in the workplace, existing laws and policies designed to support gender equality and empower women, persistent underrepresentation of women in leadership roles, among other core areas will be discussed.
Rajiv Mehra, President of IATO, during his previous conversations with T3, also expressed enthusiasm in organising the women empowerment focused session for the first time while hoping the attendees to take back insightful learnings from the discussion.
The business session scheduled to happen tomorrow at Taj Lakefront in Bhopal is a significant step forward in addressing the legal challenges surrounding women empowerment and offering insights into effective strategies to create a more equitable society. By bringing these critical issues to the forefront, the session aims to foster a deeper understanding of the barriers women face and to promote actionable strategies that can lead to meaningful change. As Michelle Obama aptly said, “There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish“, this session embodies that spirit, recognising that empowering women is not just about achieving individual success, but about fostering the development and prosperity of society as a whole.
Besides this, IATO, across its 2 days of networking, is also hosting sessions on strategies to position and market India as an inbound market, chasing hotels to boost inbound traffic, last mile connectivity, creating synergies in tourism & hospitality industries, future of AI in tourism, among others.
(INPUTS COLLATED BY: Gagneet Kaur)
