New Delhi, September 12, 2026: India’s economic future depends not only on getting women into the workforce but on transforming the systems, workplaces and social norms that determine whether they can stay, lead and thrive.
This was the central message reinforced at Reframe 2026: Reimagining India’s Future – Equal Participation of Women in the Workforce, Breakthrough’s annual flagship summit, which concluded on September 10 at the India International Centre, New Delhi.
Held from September 8–10, the third edition of Reframe convened 400+ attendees and 70+ speakers across policy, industry, philanthropy, civil society, academia, media and youth leadership to examine the invisible gender norms shaping women’s economic participation.
Nayana Chowdhury, CEO, Breakthrough: “Reframe 2026 made it clear that women’s workforce participation cannot be addressed by asking women to change alone. The barriers women face are deeply connected to the systems and norms around them, from care and mobility to workplace culture, leadership and expectations. India has spent decades preparing women for work; now we need to prepare our workplaces and society for women. Gender norms are not a side conversation to economic growth — they are the growth story.”
Dr. Fauzia Khan, Former Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha: “Why should women hold all the care responsibilities? It’s a shared responsibility of the husband, the state, and the law.”
Prof. Rangan Banerjee, Director, IIT Delhi: “The next wave of Indian innovation will not be defined by one sector or one technology—it will emerge at the intersection of research, entrepreneurship, capital and national priorities.”
Summit Highlights
- High-Level Plenary: Featuring Dr. Fauzia Khan, Smt. Vandana Chavan, and Dr. Renu Swarup, moderated by Anand Sinha.
- AI & Digital Norms: Panels on sovereign AI, digital platforms and gender algorithms.
- Survey Insights: Breakthrough released findings from “What Makes Work, Work for Her” — a listening exercise with 1,400+ women across India.
- Sectoral Panels: Gender-transformative education, agritech, maternal health, masculinity, and workplace culture.
- Media Industry Panel: Richa Chadha, Aparna Purohit, and Smriti Kiran dissected systemic gatekeeping in film and media.
- Creative Closing: Stand-up comedy act by Aditi Mittal.
- Workshops: Collaborative sessions on inclusive workplaces, education, youth engagement, digital integration, and storytelling.
Key Themes
- From Participation to Power: Workforce participation framed as a question of power, infrastructure, culture and choice.
- Changing Workplaces: Institutions must embed inclusion into everyday operations, beyond standalone initiatives.
- From Conversation to Action: Collaborative workshops translated summit insights into actionable strategies.
- Inclusion at the Centre: Student-led, women-led and rural innovators showcased alongside established ventures.
About Reframe
Reframe is Breakthrough’s flagship annual summit convening leaders from government, business, philanthropy, civil society, academia and media to examine structural barriers limiting women’s economic participation. The 2026 edition focused on the role of gender norms in shaping workforce participation and advancing solutions aligned with India’s vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
About Breakthrough
Breakthrough is a non-profit organisation working to transform the culture and systems that prevent women and girls from living free, equal and empowered lives. For over 26 years, Breakthrough has partnered with communities, schools, governments, media and institutions to shift harmful gender norms through behaviour change programmes, research, advocacy and large-scale public engagement.
🌐 Learn more: Breakthrough
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