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WOMEN WHO CHOOSE TO CHALLENGE Shefali Saxena n her speech on women and mental health in 1993, Princess Diana said, “Each person is born with very individual qualities and potential. We as a society owe it to women to create a truly supportive environment in which they too can grow and move forward.” Almost three decades later, her statement resonates with society more than ever. It took a woman to stand by a man to throw over a globally despised world leader from his office. It took a woman in a leadership role to make a country Covid free in the southern hemisphere. It took a woman to challenge one of the most powerful leaders in the world, in a state-level
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election where the ruling party at the centre had to put its best minds forward to compete with her legacy. It took a young woman activist and a pop icon to shake the very ground on which a democracy continues to debate over its grain-Gods. It took a woman (of course) to uproot sexual predators across the globe in various countries to make TimesUp and MeToo successful movements. When Amazon founder Jeff Bezos divorced his wife, she received a whopping alimony, not just because she was legally entitled to get it, but because she was also an integral part of his journey in making Amazon a global e-commerce giant. “I was there when he wrote the business plan, and I worked with him and many others
[…] in the converted garage, the basement warehouse closet, the barbecue-scented offices, the Christmas-rush distribution centers, and the door-desk filled conference rooms in the early years of Amazon’s history,” MacKenzie Bezos wrote in an Amazon review of the book The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon. Women who choose to challenge the status quo, have time and again revolutionised workplaces, homes, societies and the lives of fellow women. Many have been breadwinners even before the pandemic for hundreds of years. There may be higher walls and taller ladders that women still have to climb to reach at the top, but in 2021, there are women who are thriving to
build longer tables, so that women can also get a seat and a chance to become decision makers. In our special coverage on International Women’s Day 2021, Asian Voice brings you eight powerful female voices from around the UK who have persevered to make our society better. From the CEO at The Runnymede Trust, to the Chief People Officer at NHS, pioneering voices in art and culture to the Chairwoman of KPMG UK, one of the most sort after women MPs in the UK Parliament and scintillating minds in journalism and PR, here are eight exclusive interviews with women who have made exceptional contributions and accomplishments by choosing to challenge.
With MeToo, BLM and Covid, this is a defining and polarising period in history r Halima Begum is the Chief Executive of The Runnymede Trust. Her experience spans education, equality, human rights, public health, the environment and post-conflict reconstruction. She has held senior leadership positions across policy, programmes and research with a range of organisations including the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the British Council and LEGO Foundation. Her portfolio of responsibilities has included leading the Sino-British Action Plan on food insecurity, the UK effort to promote girls’ education in Pakistan, and research collaborations between higher education institutions in Britain and Asia. She began her career as a policy analyst on the Commission for a Multi-Ethnic Britain, before joining ActionAid and the LSE Centre for Civil Society. As a disabled Muslim woman raised in London, Dr Halima Begum is a lifelong campaigner for equality and civil rights. Today, she chairs the UK Women’s Environmental Network and sits on the board of various organisations including Toynbee Hall, the Ella Baker School of Organising and the Labour Campaign for Human Rights. She spoke to Asian Voice in an exclusive interview about women and human rights, including Shamima Begum’s case. Here are few excerpts:
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How has your journey been so far in running the trust as a woman in a leadership role? These days, there are so many inspiring women leading organisations with compassion and dignity. And I’m fortunate to be supported by wonderful colleagues and partners at the Runnymede Trust for whom leadership is not defined by gender, and without whom I simply could not function. While there’s still work to be done nationally in terms of representation, this isn’t 1970. I’m not trying to break through the glass ceiling in an organisation that functions like an old-boys’ club. That’s not to say we don’t have our own “era-specific” challenges. With MeToo, BLM and Covid, this feels like a defining and too-often polarising period in history. Having a national platform as a BME woman, and a voice to speak out publicly is a great privilege and a duty I take very seriously. Sadly, it also means I receive quite horrendous abuse and threats, whether by telephone, email or on social media. The very worst focus on my gender, race and disability. That says a lot about the progress we still need to make as a society.
What is your perspective on disabled people being neglected during the vaccination drive? We should be utterly ashamed and incredibly disturbed by the Covid mortality figures among the disabled, as with our ethnic minorities. I remember early on in the pandemic, an exhausted nurse telling me she was feeling emotionally shattered because of guidelines around access to intensive care and Do Not Resuscitate orders, which she described as entirely discriminatory against disabled patients. To me, that smacks of eugen-
ics. I simply do not see any way in which such a scandalous and backdoor policy, where proven, can be anything other than a matter of urgent investigation for the national inquiry that must surely occur once we exit the pandemic. A society can only be judged by the extent to which we care for the most at risk among us. And here, we have failed abysmally.
Please share your views on Shamima Begum's case. First, ISIS has committed untold atrocities, often directed at women. No one condones such evil. Though Shamima Begum is guilty of huge errors of judgment, she was a child when she left the UK, and the victim of grooming. As a society we have to add our own mea culpa, not least by allowing a child to leave these shores to join a terrorist group. While the Supreme Court decision effectively renders Begum stateless in breach of international law and prevents her return home, on principle she should have been brought back to answer for her actions, for the sake of the victims of ISIS if nobody else. Are men treated differently? Of course. And UN data back that up. Thousands of FTFs (foreign terrorist fighters) have returned from Syria to their homes. Disproportionately, they’re men. To make a political point, governments can still find it expedient to publicly condemn a woman.
What is your assessment of the global approach towards women? In a career already spanning 20 years with government and multinationals, I’ve experienced my fair share of sexism. I won’t mention which prime minister of which nation, but I recall meeting one head of government at an embassy garden party who clearly thought I was a waitress or an interloper rather than Her Majesty’s First Secretary. That’s an example of sexism that, looking back now, I can almost laugh about. But like every other woman, even in the recent past I’ve experienced those moments where gender-based discrimination exceeded any boundaries of law, and felt constant and oppressive. In some overseas deployments, the extent of the failings around gender equality can be particularly breathtaking. But one thing you realise working outside the UK is just how much progress our country has made in terms of gender equality, even since 2010. Our mothers, grandmothers and great grandmothers did us proud. Our job is to protect those hard-won rights.
day, some parents will consider a girl in school to represent a lost economic opportunity where the alternative is the girl in question providing support to younger children in the home, or producing food in the fields. So, where quality of learning outcomes are limited, and formal education is not leading to future jobs or livelihood opportunities, then parents don’t see the point in keeping their children in school and will often make a cost of living decision that favours boys over girls. Clearly this is the wrong thing to do. But it’s an issue many governments still need to address.
During the pandemic and in the post-Covid world, what do you think we urgently need to address about women and their rights to protect them from further atrocities and unemployment? From the earliest days, we have known that women face particular risks as a result of conditions associated with the pandemic. The incidence of domestic violence has gone up alarmingly, at least 20 percent by some assessments. This can only be tackled by long-term public funding aimed at supporting and protecting women and girls, whether through strategies including prevention, shelter provision or counselling. The extra £40m the government has put into the pot as a Covid stopgap is welcome, but really just a short-term fix. The backlog in our courts now stretches years into the future, and is placing an intolerable emotional burden on those women who do seek justice against their abusers. Combine this with the precarious nature of frontline and key worker jobs occupied by many women, especially from BME communities, not to mention the increased risk of exposure to Covid, and I think it’s clear – there is no one silver bullet. Women and girls simply need more support across the board.
As someone who has led dialogue on global education policies, why do you think women still suffer the most when it comes to the right to education? In terms of the SDGs, and speaking globally, poverty remains a fundamental barrier to women and girls accessing education. Even where free at the point of delivery, the hidden and sundry costs of education – like school uniforms, books and even feeding a child at school – can be prohibitively high. In the cold light of
Dr Halima Begum
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“I do things differently because of my values” - NHS Chief People Officer Prerana Issar is the first NHS Chief People Officer. Prior to joining the NHS Prerana was Director for Public-Private Partnerships at the United Nations and prior to that she was the Chief Human Resources Officer for the World Food Programme. Before joining the United Nations, Prerana worked for over 15 years at Unilever Plc, starting with them in India and then for several years worked in global roles at Unilever’s headquarter in London. Her last role at Unilever was the VicePresident HR for the Global Foods business. She’s a proud mother to a teenage son and a younger daughter. Prerana who has been leading from the front-line to serve the people of Britain during the pandemic, spoke exclusively to Asian Voice, on International Women’s Day about her journey and women in the NHS. Her support system - the strong progressive females in her family Like all exciting journeys, the beginning sets the tone for the experience and outcome. I was born and raised in India and had a great support network in the form of my family. My parents supported and encouraged me, giving me the confidence to pursue my interests, education and the drive to be the best I can be. I was also influenced by really strong progressive females in my grandmother and my mother, to fight against the odds in sometimes challenging circumstances. My mother totally walked the talk, and I am extremely proud to say I am the daughter of the first woman to gain a master’s degree in her family. She spent many years in public service, a male-dominated world, becoming chief secretary of Haryana - only the third woman in the history of India to have held that title in any state. This bright example is what set me on my career path to spend a number of years at Unilever and the United Nations World Food Programme, and now with the NHS. On being a champion for women and girls during the pandemic As research has shown, Covid-19, lockdown and the changes in how we live our day-to-day lives have had a disproportionate impact on women. We have shouldered a lot of the responsibility: as carers, in home schooling, keeping essential services going as key workers or working from home. As a working mum myself, I salute every woman who has had to juggle work, life and family over the last year, showing courage every day. However, there is a real danger in the unique circumstances we’ve been experiencing that we put ourselves as individuals and our personal ambitions second. So my major takeaway is that we need to ensure we strike a balance between caring for others, and ensuring we continue to drive towards our own goals. Keep going for it and don’t be stopped by any barriers that may be put in your way! Covid-19 vaccination drive and apprehensions in the community The Covid-19 vaccination programme has made an incredible start. Since 8 December 2020, the NHS has vaccinated over 16 million people. Many vaccination centres are out in the community, including places of worship like mosques and Islamic centres, temples and Gurudwaras, churches and cathedrals. I am determined to do all I can to lend a hand with vaccine hesitancy, helping people to understand and signpost to real evidence and the right information. For us to successfully cut across the mistrust and misinformation that have created these issues, we need to be the ambassadors. I have been really inspired by how general practice is working so closely with faith and community leaders to address this, creating a unique moment of engagement with the populations they serve. This will be one of the positive legacies of the pandemic, giving greater
MAKING IT RAIN Perveen Akhtar
Prerana Issar
recognition of the real depth of health inequalities in society today, and a renewed commitment to eradicating them. On being a woman in leadership role and doing things differently I do things differently because of my values, my life experiences and a drive to make the world better for my daughter and all girls. My mother and grandmother instilled in me a strong sense of gender equality and the belief that being a woman was not a limitation to my abilities or achievements. We mustn’t be silent about this; we need to be vocal about what we want to see. That’s why I’m so excited to be hosting a major conference on International Women’s Day itself on 8 March, open to all women in health and care. We have a great programme with some fantastic speakers: discussing leadership, examining why women get such a hard time on social media, meeting the women (scientists, economists, doctors) behind the NHS vaccination programme, exploring what needs to change in the workplace and the boardroom. All women and allies are very welcome to join us at this free virtual event. An inclusive workplace designed by women for women Take away the barriers. Society’s expectations of women are so much narrower than for men – and that has to change. The NHS is the largest employer of women in Europe. A million women deliver effectively and successfully every day across more than 350 diverse roles: as nurses, medics, scientists, chief executives, managers, national directors, leaders of local healthcare systems, chairs of boards, finance directors, and many more. The pandemic has helped to break down many of the misconceptions that were barriers to more flexible and family friendly working practices. We were already working hard in the NHS before Covid hit to support women to become leaders; for example, actively targeting sexism and bias in recruitment and employment practices and ensuring leadership training at all levels better supports women in moving forward in their careers. The NHS is committed to becoming the best employer for women in the world. To do that, I want government and community support to create a workplace designed by women for women, inclusive of everyone, with more women and women of colour in senior, decision-making roles. Then we will truly be the best place to work.
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The NHS is committed to becoming the best employer for women in the world.
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Dolby Laboratories describe themselves as the rain on the roof in a movie. If Dolby is the rain on the roof, Perveen Akhtar makes sure it keeps raining. Perveen Akhtar leads as the Senior PR Manager Europe at Dolby Laboratories. Perveen is an award winning and a strong creative thinker, who is a senior International Marketing, Brand and PR professional in the consumer technology sector. She develops strategies that lead to exceptional PR coverage and positioning on thought leadership. With a career spanning over 20 years, she has adapted well to international environments, having executed highly creative communications campaigns, with vast expertise in PR & Marketing. In an exclusive Q&A with Asian Voice, she talks about her journey as a woman in PR & Marketing in the field of technology. What are the challenges of being a woman in a powerful position like yours for a globally reputed company? I don’t really think being a woman brings any additional challenges to my role. I’ve never felt that my gender was ever part of the equation in terms of my ability to do my job at any point in my career. I’m sure having more than 20 years under my belt as a communications professional probably helps in terms of having a level of confidence in my skills and abilities which allow me to do my current role effectively. It is often seen that women hold strategic positions in the PR industry. Is there a science behind it? Oh I don’t know if there’s a particular science but certainly some basic skills really help such as an obvious one of being a good communicator along with strategic thinking, creativity and also I think having that deeper understanding of all elements of a situation, which is an inherently female trait, helps. Being able to appreciate different viewpoints and understanding the audiences that you are trying to communicate with makes for strong leadership. I guess it’s also a numbers game. If you are in a predominantly female industry it is more likely that more than average females will hold strategic positions. What do you bring to the table in terms of Marketing and PR, that may be your male counterparts would do differently? As I mentioned before it’s that quality of having a more holistic view of a situation that makes women do things differently. You can’t say that all women haven’t got egos but less of them have, so I think more women are wanting to achieve in their jobs but for the good of the client as well as themselves. It means they possibly listen more and don’t simply want to push their own ideas forward. As a woman, how do you juggle with work and personal life in such a competitive environment, especially in a pandemic? I think that juggling personal and work life is a challenge for many and
particularly at the moment with so many women and men trying to balance their work lives and responsibilities as parents with home schooling and caring for children or other loved ones. I don’t have children so that’s not something that I’ve had to contend with but I think the past year has been challenging for everyone in different ways. I think people have become much more attuned to the pressures that colleagues are under as they try to juggle work and personal lives. Just simple things like not scheduling calls towards the end of the work day when those with children need to focus on preparing dinner and having family time, I think is an example of an increased level of empathy and understanding that I’ve seen. I’m also lucky that I work for a company that is really supportive of its employees and right from the get-go senior management and HR made it clear that family comes first and that if we needed flexibility then we can have it. I feel so fortunate to be working for a company that has such strong values and is genuinely supportive and I think in turn that then instils loyalty from employees. What is the future of women in this field? I’d say that I’ve been very fortunate that I have had a wonderfully rich and rewarding career in PR, working for some of the best companies and with some of the best people. For any woman wanting to pursue a career in PR, I’d say go for it. I know with the backdrop of the pandemic there’s a lot of uncertainty in the industry, but I’ve seen that there are still a lot of roles coming up and some companies have some great graduate trainee programmes, particularly on the agency side. Based on my own experience I would definitely recommend if possible, to try and start with an agency role. That’s what I did and I learned all of the key PR skills as well as time management and multitasking as I was working across a number of different accounts at the same time, it was a baptism of fire! I moved my way up the ranks and when I’d got to a senior director position, I made the move inhouse. I was ready then and confident I knew what I was doing as in-house. You can be a team of one in the company with your support being provided by an agency. This is a much more difficult place to be when you are just starting out as no matter how much you study PR you are not taught how to deal with the multifaceted demands of the job. I also think for women who traditionally have the challenge of having to juggle parenting with work, the past year during the pandemic and the shift to homeworking is going to mean that there is more flexibility which can only be a good thing. I hope this will see more women having long and successful careers in the industry.
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Find the mute button on social media
A new
dawn at KPMG Priyanka Mehta
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t is two weeks after Bina Mehta stepped in to replace Bill Michael asChair of one of the big four accounting firms in the UK. It has taken 150 years for Bina to become the first woman to lead one of the four biggest accounting firms in the UK. It is thus, no exaggeration to state that Bina’s appointment is perhaps, the equivalent of the election of American Vice President Kamala Harris, in the corporate corridors of London. Ahead of International Women’s Day, Bina discusses the need for more women role models and sheds light on challenges female employees continue to face around the gender pay gap and career progression. But beyond all, she shares her optimism and confidence in future female entrepreneurs leading a paradigm shift in the world of business and investment. Absence of female role models “I ventured into the world of CorporateFinance and Restructuring at a time when I was one of the very few women in that field and certainly the only ethnic minority member of my team. So, I didn’t really have role models at that time.” An anomaly in her industry, Bina had joined KPMG in her early 20s after qualifying as an auditor. Over the years, as she progressed the ranks, serving the accountancy firm in various capacities including supporting the establishment of KPMG India. She has also been instrumental in developing the Corporate Finance business in KPMG US and leading complex restructuring programmesacross Europe before moving to Canada and then returning to the UK with her family. Admiration for Indra Nooyi, working with Pinky Lilani Although Bina speaks with great adulation and admiration of Indra Nooyi and her poise and ability in leading PepsiCo, she speaks of the lack of female role models in her area of expertise. Thus, navigating through the challenges of her early career withresilience that she had been conferred by her mother. Her voice hitches ever so slightly, as she recollects, “Growing up, I had very strong women in my family. But my strongest role model is my mum. Her kindness, determination and sheer resilience to battle all adversities is something that I have admired the most and carry with me even today. Determined in empowering and optimistic about innovative female entrepreneurship, she now works with fellow businesswomen including Pinky Lilani who has been an advocate of kindness in leadership. She is also a member of the Council for Investing in Female Entrepreneurs which is co-sponsored by HM Treasury and BEIS and a member of DIT’s Strategic Trade Advisory Group and the Professional Services Trade Advisory Group. And while it may have taken the Big Four in the UK over a century to appoint
Bina Mehta
the first female chair, at KPMG, around 60% of their board members arewomen with 30% of their board comprising of members from an ethnic minority background. According to the governmentbacked Hampton-Alexander review, the number of female directors at FTSE-100 firms has increased by 50% in the last five years. The same review also notes that women now hold more than a third of roles in the boardrooms of the UK’s top 350 companies. Thus, achieving their target of 33% of board positions at FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 firms being held by women by the end of 2020. The question, however, remains why are we crawling our way to the top? 50% increase in female directors at FTSE-100 firms Welcoming the report, Binasaid, “This report shows that momentum for progress has been created. But the report also recognises that there are structural and cultural barriers that may exist for women and under-represented groups. We need to assure that all our efforts address those barriers and create an inclusive culture. “Covid-19 has shone a spotlight on all sets of challenges that women face: homeschooling, caring for elderly, looking after family besides meeting professional deadlines. These are just the tip of the iceberg. How do you as a leader inspire, encourage and support these women in their journeys? Most of the challenges that female employees feel they face, are centred around the feeling of being valued, being given equal opportunities for progression and knowing that they are supported in those opportunities across structural ranks and by the leadership. Any business organisation or workplace has to have the right foundations for everyone to feel equally valued. Ultimately, that is all about leadership and the commitment ofleadership.” Closing the gender pay gap While organisations have worked hard to achieve gender parity on their Boards, some are still struggling to address the subject of the gender pay gap. According to the latest report by employment and partnership law firm Fox & Partners, female directors at the UK’s largest financial services firms earn on average twothirds less than their male counterparts. Bina stressed the significance of transparency in the reporting of these issues within the organisation. She said, “Closing a gender and ethnicity pay gap is a critical issue for businesses. But are they recognising this and taking action against it? That starts with firms being transparent. If you’re reporting these things, then you are transparent. The next question remains, what is being done about it?” KPMG employs about 15,600 people in the UK and recently disclosed a 36.2 per cent gender pay gap. But at the peak of women empowerment, the pandemic has thrown up a wider debate about whether females make better leaders.
In a tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey, the Duke of Sussex spoke about his concern around history “repeating itself” as he recalled his mother Princess Diana’s untimely demise while being pursued by paparazzi in Paris. He worried the similar could have happened to the Duchess of Sussex as they complained about the British tabloids’ treatment of Meghan Markle. For long social media and some pockets of media as well have become echo chambers of vilification, slander and horrific abuse particularly targeted towards women leaders from ethnic minority backgrounds. There is no accurate dataset that quantifies or explains the degree of abuse or slander that female politicians like Priti Patel, Rushanara Ali, or Tulip Siddiq continue to receive every day. But, despite the challenges of the job, some are determined to keep their head down, mute those tweets and try and make a difference to their community. “I have received death threats, racially charged or misogynistic abuse. It is quite shocking to go through with that as a new politician. But the best advice that I have been given is to discover the mute button on social media. “I would advise all female politicians to Claire Coutinho do that because most often they may not even be real people, they may be bots and often enough they are not your constituents. We must focus on our day job of dealing with the concerns of our constituents and follow through with the processes of government,” said Claire Coutinho, Conservative MP for East Surrey. Working with the Chancellor Claire was never intent on becoming a politician. Her story and journey in one way or another is quite similar to that of Chancellor Rishi Sunak. Elected MP for East Surrey in 2019, Claire graduated from Oxford University with a degree in Maths and Philosophy. Experienced in working with emerging markets in the City, she next ventured to work in social justice policy. Here, she covered a range of issues, from education to financial inclusion to the regeneration of Britain’s most deprived communities. After five years, she became a Special Adviser to then-Chief Secretary to the Treasury Rishi Sunak and is now working as a Parliamentary Private Secretary to HM Treasury. She also sits on the Advisory Board of the think tank Onward and is a member of Policy Exchange’s Indo-Pacific Commission. Speaking about the experience of working with the Chancellor, she explains, “It has been brilliant to work with the Chancellor. It is amazing to see how well he has done and how quickly he has scaled upthe unprecedented economic support for the country.. I think his journey is reflective in that the barriers particularly those that people of colour in politics faced have reduced dramatically if not completely broken.” Over half of ethnic minority MPs are women After the 2019 General Election, over half (37) of the 65 minority ethnic MPs are
women. In general, a total of 220 female MPs were elected in the 2019 General Elections, witnessing 12 more than the previous record of 208 in the 2017 general election. This was also the first time that both the Liberal Democrats and Labour have more women MPs than men in Parliament. Does that, therefore, indicate that the political corridors of Westminster have become more receptive of female leaders? “As a new female BAME politician, I can easily talk to cabinet ministers and senior civil servants. There aren’t, in my view, any traces left of that degree of prejudice within the government. Inside the party, I have only ever had positive interactions with the members of the government and our party. Perhaps, that’s a testament of how civil and cordial the atmosphere of Parliament is today versus a couple of years ago.” Pandemic has demonstrated women are better leaders What barriers continue to might further be broken down in light of emerging research studies that highlight that females make better leaders. Detailed in their paper, Leading the Fight Against the Pandemic: Does Gender ‘Really’ Matter? data confirmed that Covid-19 outcomes are better in female-led countries. Professors SupriyaGarikipati and Uma Kambhampati drew a comparative analysis between female-led countries and those with male leaders based on Covid-relevant social and demographic variables. Empathy, greater communication skills and efficient multitasking had in the initial phases of coronavirus helped countries such as New Zealand and Germany to mitigate the initial impact of coronavirus. Does that mean that “soft skills” which were typically seen to be a disadvantage for female leaders will now be perceived as their greatest asset in a postpandemic world? Discussing the various qualities that female leaders must possess, Claire said, “I think it is really important that we don’t expect all female leaders to bring the same qualities. Each of them is unique in their own set of skills and qualities. It is up to the public to decide if that is the type of leader that they want. But We need to make sure that female leaders have equal access and equal opportunities to serve. They have demonstrated that women can do the job just as well if not better than men.” But while the pandemic has drawn attention to plenty of female success stories, challenges abound. In her view, “We need not have a particular view of what a female leader should look like. I think we need to address those sectors which have not been particularly accepting of women. Often enough the bigger challenges that women face in most industries today is around career progression. Women may constitute 50% of the workforce but are not necessarily making it to the top.” The question remains what are we doing about it?
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Women are often seen as "aggressive and difficult" Nisha Parti
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“...MOST producers are white and male. It isn’t a hard industry to work in as a woman, but it is a hard industry to work in at the TOP – as a woman.”
isha Parti is the founder of Parti Productions, a company that aims to produce films and TV Drama that will have at their heart an undeniable link to India. Working with leading British producer David Heyman, Nisha was the first to read and discover the unpublished manuscript of Harry Potter and recognise its potential which led to him securing the film rights for a joint venture between Heyday Films and Warner Bros. In 2019 she signed a first look distribution deal with Sony Pictures Television. In 2013 Nisha was selected as a Breakthrough Brit. An initiative run by BAFTA and Burberry to select and mentor emerging talent from the industry. She was Indian Creative Consultant on John Madden’s The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel for Fox Searchlight and Blueprint Films. Nisha comes from Indian origin with British nationality and multicultural upbringing in London. In an exclusive interview with the newsweekly, Nisha spoke about her career, being a female film producer and the future of women in the post-Covid world. From photocopying and making cups of tea I was supposed to do medicine at Uni – like all good Indians! - But I dropped a grade in my Physics and rather than take a year out, I did a generic science degree, which I found pretty uninspiring. I always loved watching films but it was at Uni that I realised I wanted to get into that industry so I went to Film School and did an MA in Film Production at NSFTV. I then contacted hundreds of companies to try and get an internship and one replied! So that was my way in as I didn’t know anyone in the industry myself. So from photocopying and making cups of tea I had to work incredibly hard to get a paid job and then slowly work my way via various companies. It was a very long and hard journey before I finally set up my own production company. But I learnt a huge amount along the way. Pursuing a non-Asian career My parents had three girls and were pretty supportive and encouraging in letting us do what we wanted. My dad just thought we would all get married anyway so we should enjoy ourselves in the meantime! All three of us have followed rather “non- Asian careers''. Fashion, Beauty and Film. My Dad was an entrepreneur and we have definitely all got that gene from him. In the end he was super proud of all of us for doing so well in our own fields. So I didn’t really need to do any convincing. Although they never understood what I did and always did wonder why it takes so long to make a film! We lost my amazing father to Covid last year and he was and still is a driving force in terms of my ambition to succeed in whatever I do, and to make sure I enjoy the ride along the way. Biggest takeaway as a woman in films Hmmm that is a hard one. I have to admit I have never felt held back in my career because I am a woman. On the way up I have predominantly worked for very successful white men who were encouraging and supportive. But I am very well aware that MOST producers are white and male. It isn’t a hard industry to work in as a woman, but it is a hard industry to work in at the TOP – as a woman. There are only a handful of female
producers and even fewer Brown ones. There is an issue of pay in the big corporations as recently exposed at the BBC and that is an issue which needs solving because it is outrageous that a woman can do the same job and not get paid the same. A change in work culture for women I think a lot of women do very well in lower level jobs and as they climb the ladder then often decide to take time out to have kids and having kids and making films (when you have to travel and work all hours) can be really tough. So I think that is a big obstacle for women who want to produce. It is really hard without a supportive partner. I also think the industry is run by men predominantly so there is little in place to support women with kids. I would love to try and introduce proper childcare systems for the industry and for productions. It would really help encourage more women to work on sets. Are women producers taken seriously? Yes on the whole I think they are. But it is harder for women to get to those positions and I think they have to grow quite a thick skin and often be quite ballsy and outspoken in order to compete. As a result we are often seen as “aggressive” and “difficult” which drives me a bit mad. Whereas a man who throws his weight around is seen as strong and successful and that behaviour is more acceptable in men I think. I am pretty honest and can be pretty punchy. You often have to be to get things done and drive something forward. So you cannot be too afraid of what people think of you. And luckily I don’t! But at the same time it is really important to try and be kind whilst working really hard. I think those two things are possible. Filmmaking can be unforgiving It is a very tough and unpredictable industry and for many freelancers the pandemic has been very tough as there has been little support for them. I am very lucky that I have an overhead deal with Sony so they have covered my costs during the pandemic. And shooting has been allowed to go ahead and the thirst for TV Drama has never been greater as so many of us are at home devouring box sets. So it is a good time for the TV industry but alas has been brutal for the film industry which I think will change forever after cinemas have been closed for so long. The future of women in films I don’t think anything much has changed for women because of Covid. I think it has been a harder battle for me being Brown and wanting to make Asian content, than because I am a woman. There is not enough diversity of thinking and content in the industry and it is an everyday battle to convince the broadcasters and financiers that Asian stories can sell. Tips to our women readers who'd want to pursue a career in film production My main tip would be not to worry about the fact you are a woman. Work your arse off and be focussed and dedicated. If you are smart and dedicated and work hard you will find a way through. It is a really hard and competitive industry which only pays well if you get to the top. So do it because you LOVE storytelling and the world and are prepared to roll up your sleeves and work very hard. Don’t do it because you want to meet film stars or think it is glamorous because most of the time it really isn’t!
‘We all need to be much more open about what we are paid’
Lisa Francesca Nand
n times when most of the world hasn’t taken a flight or a vacation and all that one has is internet, news and videos to look at, Asian Voice reached out to Lisa Francesca Nand, to know more about what it is like to be a woman in broadcast journalism and a travel expert, the challenges as well as the opportunities that come with it. Lisa Francesca Nand is a broadcast journalist and travel expert. She is host of chart-topping The Big Travel Podcast and produces podcasts for many other clients. Her father is Indian-Fijian and her mother is English but she was brought up on the Wirral and in Spain.
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Please talk about how you decided to pursue journalism as a career. As a child I loved acting, singing and dancing but I fell into events (in music at first, which I loved) but then got sidetracked into corporate events. It was a good job, I travelled a lot and went to lots of glamorous events like the BAFTAs but I felt I had missed my calling in performing. I decided to train in broadcast journalism as, having always loved writing and talking, that combined many things I am passionate about. Do you think women journalists, especially in the travel industry, get equal opportunities? It's hard to know for sure but I think in any industry we often have to battle to be taken as seriously as the men, especially when you're young. I was the first ever female presenter on talkSPORT national radio and that of course was a very male dominated environment. When I've worked in other organisations such as the BBC there has been a stronger presence of women although unfortunately not always at the top. Travel is quite a female industry
but as is often the case the top jobs seem to be mainly male-dominated. Hopefully this is changing. What are the challenges of being a woman who pursues travel journalism and how do you juggle between personal and professional life as a woman in such a demanding role? On the Big Travel Podcast I interview a lot of well-known people and if I am going to ask anyone the question as to how they manage to travel so much and have a family I make sure I ask it of both men and women! It has however been especially difficult in recent times when there has been homeschooling to cope with. Trying to homeschool as well as work and manage all the extra domestic activities that come from having all of you at home all the time has been a real challenge. I have been very busy reporting on travel news rather than actually travelling. What is your perspective on feminism and pay disparity? Have you ever faced any kind of racism or gender discrimination at work? We all need to be much more open about what we are paid. I work in an industry where rates are often pre-agreed or agreed for you. I do hear that this hasn't always worked out well for women but I hope that some high-profile campaigning is helping change this. I don’t think I have experienced any outright racism in the workplace but then it doesn’t always have to be outright of course. As a broadcaster and a podcaster, what kind of women related issues or topics do you think are most watched/listened to and why? What I love about being a woman is we often open up to each other quickly and comfortably; I have found this especially so since becoming a mother. I love how we can talk about health concerns and feelings and get to the point straight away. In the post Covid world, where unemployment will remain a burning issue, do you think women will stand a fair chance at procuring full time jobs in demanding careers like journalism? I love how Covid has made it more acceptable for both women and men to be working from home and open about their child care issues. I feel this is something that, especially for those of us who are freelance and work from home, previously we felt more of a need to hide. Many of my female friends out-earn their male partners and are the main earners in the family but I am aware that in general women often take the brunt of the childcare difficulties and this has been especially so during the Covid crisis. I hope more flexible working might support all parents more with their careers. What would be your message or advice to young women who want to be like you one day? It took me a long while to get to where I wanted to be because I didn't see a pathway. I wanted to work in TV but didn't have any family in the industry or know how to get in. I spent a long time feeling like an outsider. It wasn't until I did a postgraduate degree in Broadcast Journalism that I felt doors started to open for me. My advice would be to train professionally as soon as you can because often it is about 'who you know' and if you don't come from a social circle or family that has those sort of contacts it can be harder to break into journalism, sad as that is.
“Many of my female friends out-earn their male partners and are the main earners in the family...”
6 IWD 2021/Art & Culture
AsianVoiceNews
AsianVoiceNewsweekly
www.asian-voice.com
6 - 12 March 2021
How art and technology empower women
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Shefali Saxena
a globally famous family. When asked if there’s a difference between how men and women view art from different lenses, she said, “Generally, I do not differentiate between a man and a woman. No one knows what or how anyone thinks. I think art comes from one’s own thoughts, experiences and beliefs.” We also explored the kind of training, support or preparation Michelle thinks women need, to pursue art as a career, especially women of colour. Commenting on that she said, “Training is always the same- be it for a man or a woman. It is the same classroom where there are boys and girls, people from different backgrounds and diverse cultures. The training is same for all, irrespective of gender, colour or race of an individual.” If she were to paint a series of portraits on Asian Women, Poonawalla thinks that she would personally select subjects that SPEAK. “There are several factors like the expression, the portrait and the detail of the face which are exceptionally important to tell the right story,” she added. Only a small percentage of Asian Women are well-versed with technology when it comes to art and creativity. Being technically sound minded and having the right resources can hence be quite empowering. Poonawalla agrees. “I would agree that
ichelle Poonawalla is an artist who lives and works between London, UK, and Pune, India. Poonawalla’s works explore universal, socially engaged topics that resonate with a diverse range of audiences, creating powerful memories and moving experiences. Her practice combines cutting-edge technology and traditional artistic mediums in an emotionally charged and poetic form; often utilizing sound, video mapping, projection, motion sensors and other techniques to bring her innovative paintings and installations to life. Her seminal piece, Introspection (2018), is a striking, immersive experiential artwork which leaves many viewers moved and affected, whilst inspiring them to take action in their own lives. More recently Poonawalla has begun exploring work with shorter digital format films. Her 3min 36 second film Circle of Life addresses the idea of memory was exhibited at the 7th Mediations Biennale in Poland. Poonawalla is currently exhibiting work in The Tangible Imaginative at Tao Art Gallery, Mumbai. In an exclusive interview with the newsweekly she spoke about her artwork, her process and her thoughts on belonging to
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I desired the legacy to live on due to which I was willing and determined to prove myself, no matter any hurdles or what anyone said.
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Above images: L-R works on paper from Michelle Poonawalla’s Love series
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I have been fortunate enough to work on projects using video mappings and other video works, which is an expensive medium to be in. Having said that, I also strongly believe that the art world is a difficult place to be in, irrespective of a technological background. We need to have an increase in galleries, platforms and spaces for exhibitions,” she said. Michelle has stood out and made her own mark despite belonging to a family that has various popular and successful names that are known worldwide. But what makes her secure and independent? Michelle said, “I believe talent can’t be procured. I constantly had to prove myself over and above who and what my family name is. I was inspired by my grand-father to be an artist, he shared his prized technique of oil painting only with me. This led me to think- I cannot lead a lifetime doing nothing with what I know and my talent.” “Determination is the key to success. I always believe if you want something you have to put in the hard-work and go after what you believe and want to achieve. I desired the legacy to live on due to which I was willing and determined to prove myself, no matter any hurdles or what anyone said,” she told the newsweekly.
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For Poonawalla, drawings and works on paper represent a very personal and emotive medium, allowing her to delicately portray the emotion of the subjects. As with Poonawalla’s larger body of work the drawings are intended to create a moment of reflection for the viewer and ask them to think about their surroundings and the wider world. Talking about the exhibition Poonawalla notes “For me drawing is a very important medium. Whilst audiences may be more familiar with my larger installations and digital work, drawing forms the base of everything I do and I was delighted when 079 Stories asked me to present a series of works on paper.” Paper is the strongest and the most versatile medium of expressing oneself may it be in the form of words, crafts, or art. KAGAZ is a celebration of this.