Breakthrough Announces Dynamic Speaker Line-Up for Reframe 2026 in New Delhi, its Summit on Women’s Workforce Participation

At New Delhi’s India International Centre, 60+ policymakers, industry leaders, and changemakers will come together to address the invisible gender norms shaping women’s economic participation.

New Delhi [India], September 7: Breakthrough today announced the full speaker line-up for Reframe 2026: Reimagining India’s Future – Equal Participation of Women in the Workforce, its flagship annual summit taking place from 8–10 September 2026 at the India International Centre (IIC), New Delhi.

Building on the summit’s theme that unlocking India’s growth requires transforming the invisible gender norms that shape who enters, stays, and succeeds in the workforce, Reframe 2026 brings together over 60 speakers from policy, industry, philanthropy, civil society, academia, media and youth movements across seven panel discussions and interactive workshops.

For more information about Reframe 2026, visit: https://inbreakthrough.org/breakthrough-reframe-2026/

A Line-Up Spanning Policy, Industry and Grassroots Change

Leading the conversation across the three days is a cross-sector group of speakers working on the ground and towards policies, systems and narratives that shape women’s economic participation:

• Dr Fauzia Khan, Former Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
• Dr. Renu Swarup, Former Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, Government of India
• Saachi Bhalla, Deputy Director, Gender Equality, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
• Vandana Chavan, Former Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and Former Mayor, Pune and Founder, Pune Climate Warriors
• Priya Ramani, Journalist
• Namita Bhandare, Senior Journalist
• Aditi Mittal, Standup Comedian, Writer & Actor
• Richa Chadha, Actor & Producer
• Shrayana Bhattacharya, Senior Economist, World Bank and Author
• Rathish Balakrishnan, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Sattva Consulting
• Nisha Dhawan, President & CEO, EMpower
• Vandana Bahri, Director, Women’s Economic Empowerment, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation
• Dr. Aparna Hegde, Founder, ARMMAN
• Dolon Ganguly, Chief Functionary, Azad Foundation
• Dr. Ajay Khera, Country Representative, EngenderHealth

and more to be announced soon on the website.

A Question Of Economic Urgency

“India has spent decades preparing women for work. Reframe 2026 is about preparing the workplace and society for women. We are bringing together the people who shape policy, culture and opportunity because gender norms aren’t a side conversation to economic growth; they are the growth story,” said Nayana Chowdhury, CEO, Breakthrough.

“Reframe 2026 is poised to be a meaningful forum for engaging in conversations around women’s workforce participation. As an organisation working with marginalised women to enable them to enter and sustain non-traditional professions, Azad Foundation sees this as a natural space for collaboration. Together, we hope to create a society where women can choose, enter and sustain their professions with dignity and free will.” said Dolon Ganguly, Chief Functionary, Azad Foundation, a Reframe Partner.

Three Days, Seven Themes

Reframe 2026 opens with insights from its survey, ‘What Makes Work, Work for Her,’ presenting insights into women’s aspirations, workplace experiences, retention challenges and the invisible barriers shaping workforce participation across sectors.

Across the three days, sessions will explore:

• Digital influence and changing public narratives
• Gender-transformative education
• Philanthropy as a catalyst for systems change
• Safe public spaces and mobility
• Maternal and child health as an economic imperative
• Masculinities and the care economy
• Workplace leadership, investing in equality, and the future of inclusive work

The final day moves from dialogue to action through collaborative workshops on building inclusive workplaces, scaling gender-transformative education, evaluating gender norm change, engaging young people, advancing innovative storytelling, and strengthening the role of men as allies in women’s economic empowerment.

REFRAME 2026 AT A GLANCE

Reframe 2026: Reimagining India’s Future – Equal Participation of Women in the Workforce

8–10 September 2026
India International Centre (IIC)
40, Max Mueller Marg, Lodhi Gardens, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi, India

For more information: https://inbreakthrough.org/breakthrough-reframe-2026/

To register: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfpEsC0Bo1ov8tdU0xP1w9WFEmvYKzlGcVFcoaFtvZajOC07w/viewform

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