Hogan Lovells recently hosted a roundtable discussion entitled, “Water and Women: Village Development in Rural India”, which brought together non-governmental organizations, federal agencies, and corporations to exchange ideas and experiences in improving access to water in rural India. The roundtable was initiated by the Institute of Rural Research and Development (IRRAD) and the Seghal Family Foundation, whose mission “is dedicated to creating a brighter future for India’s rural communities. We envision rural people across India motivated and empowered to make their lives more secure and prosperous.”
It is widely documented that women in rural Indian villages, who are tasked with fetching water for their households, lose opportunities to better their education, economic situation, and cultural and political involvement due to time spent bringing water to their households. With access to safe, reliable water systems, women are more able to achieve their full potential and contribute to society in a more robust manner.
The roundtable, moderated by John Oldfield of WASH Advocates, featured two distinct and important discussion topics. The first, ““On the Front Lines: Perspectives from Public and Non-Profits”, featured reports on current activities in India by Jay Sehgal, Executive Vice President, Sehgal Family Foundation; The Honorable Mitul Desai, Senior Advisor for Outreach, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, US Dept. of State; and Michael Kugelman, South Asia Associate, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
The second panel was titled, ““Successful Partnerships: Corporate Investments are Paying Dividends”. The Honorable Raymond Vickery, Senior Director, Albright Stonebridge Group; Jessica Arnold, Environmental Team Leader, International Trade Administration, US Dept. of Commerce; and Dr. Surahbi Garg, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Americon Consulting Group and Founder, U.S.-India Trade Group provided an overview of corporate social responsibility efforts in India.
Hogan Lovells will be hosting follow up discussions around the vital issue of water access in rural India, bringing together stakeholders, opinion leaders, and policy makers to continue efforts to ensure that all Indians have access to safe, reliable sources of water.