An interview with Devaki Jain on the relevance of South Asia Regional Feminist Forum, 2012

The South Asia Regional Feminist Forum took place in Negombo, Sri Lanka from August 24^th to August 26^th, 2012.  It was then that the South Asian Feminist Alliance for ESCR (SAFA) was formed.  The alliance brings together leaders trained by PWESCRs Leadership Institute with established feminist voices for a collective regional stance and efforts on women’s economic, social and cultural rights. 

Dr Devaki Jain is a renowned Indian economist best known for her work on poverty, employment and empowerment of women. Dr Jain, graduated in Economics from Oxford University and joined Delhi University as a lecturer and, later senior fellow at the Delhi School of Economics. In 1976 she founded a research centre called the Institute of Social Studies Trust (ISST) which focussed on issues of poverty and gender, with special interest in “work”. In 2006 she received the prestigious Padma Bhushan award from the Indian government, and the year before had been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize as part of the 1000 Women for the Nobel Peace Prize project. In 1984, as Director of ISST she convened a meeting of women from the South, one per continent to consider developing a feminist perspective on development from the South – leading to the founding of DAWN, (Development Alternatives for a New Era).

To see the interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJxM7HDmEic