#CSW

2022 AGC and the NGO CSW66

To celebrate International Women’s Day, The Garden of Hope Foundation (GOH) held the Girls-Centered Social Enterprise Business Models: A Roundtable Discussion during the NGO CSW66 forum. We were greatly honored that 8th Asian Girls Human Rights Award recipient Siriwan Phorin, 9th Asian Girls Social Innovation Award recipient Dipisha Bhujel, Shohratgarh Environmental Society Executive Director Sandeep Srivastava, GOH Kaohsiung Director Chih-Hui Yang, Standard Chartered Managing Director and Head of Corporate Affairs, Brand and Marketing Jennifer Kang, and UNDP Nepal Youth Officer Binita Karki shared perspectives on their experiences with social entrepreneurship. In an open dialogue format, the panelists expressed their commitments to achieving SDGs.

Siriwan and her mother, Matcha, from Thailand, shared their rainbow-patterned weavings produced by the #IY4SD team. Their product provides a source of income and also acts as a token of generational reconciliation between local women and the LGBTQ+ youths of the Karen community at the Thai-Burmese border.

Dipisha shed light on the interconnectivity of rural Nepali women’s experiences of menstruation with the wider social and economic structure. She and her team at NIDISI have developed locally sourced biodegradable banana-fiber menstrual pads. The team is taking a step further to promote, educate, and raise awareness on menstrual health management while bringing women into production and onto the decision-making board.

Sandeep, representing SES India, reminded everyone to view social entrepreneurial projects in their specific contexts. In rural India, most men leave their homes to work in cities. This leaves women family-bound and dependent on working in agriculture. SES India’s project supports young women with micro-loans to start poultry businesses, teaches them about finances, and provides them with empowerment peer groups. The increased confidence has encouraged 429 women to start saving in banks.

Chih-Hui from GOH Kaohsiung reiterated the importance of building girls’ confidence, particularly those who have suffered abuse and mistreatment, while accompanying them on the journey of exploring their interests and career opportunities. The Second Choice is a thrift store where girls are encouraged to explore business ideas and are always given a second chance to make better decisions.

Jennifer from Standard Chartered shared how Futuremakers believes that supporting youths contributes to resolving inequality while bringing a positive impact to the world economy.

Binita from UNDP Nepal underscored the importance of quality education for girls and youths to gain autonomy and inspired those in attendance to be their own role models just as she has been for herself.

The panel discussion zoomed in on the challenges of being a girl entrepreneur and the evaluation and success criteria of social enterprises. Siriwan shared her personal experience of institutional ageism and sexism. Dipisha highlighted that though production quantity is important to her project, inspiring women in rural communities during her fieldwork cannot be downplayed.

Sandeep identified education as a key factor in girls’ financial autonomy. Chih-hui, from first-hand experience, demonstrated that empowerment means providing girls with a safe space for trial and error. Jennifer closed the panel by sharing the value that girls will achieve more by working together: “When we have a common goal, we can all achieve great things.”

Working in the best interests of Asian girls, GOH invited six panelists from five countries to the international forum of CSW66 to showcase that beyond promoting protection, Asian girls can also be SDG leaders.