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Global Politics Young Voices Discussion #170

Women, Power and Institutions: The State of Gender Equality & Its Challenges in the 21st Century

19 October 2026

GPYV Discussion #170
Women, Power and Institutions: 
 The State of Gender Equality & Its Challenges
in the 21st Century

A critique of 
“Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The Gender Snapshot 2026” 
report published by the UN Women and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA)

Organised by
Science, Technology and International Relations (STIR) Programme

Date & Venue
19-20 October 2026
National Institute of Advanced Studies 

 

Programme 
19 October 2026, Monday


1350-1400 hrs: Welcome and Introduction
Prof D Suba Chandran
Dean, School of Conflict and Security Studies, NIAS

1400-1530 hrs: Session-I
1400-1440 hrs: Presentations
From Representation to Power:
How the "Stacked Glass Ceiling" keeps women out of corporate decision-making?
Why do women not have a significant say in corporate decision making in spite of having seats in the boardroom?
Masoomi Santosh Nevgi
Department of International Relations and Peace Studies and Public Policy, St Joseph's University, Bengaluru 

The Undoing of Equality:
Dissolution of National Gender Justice Mechanisms 
What happens when the institutions built for gender justice no longer exist? 
Sakthi Sriram G
Department of Political Science, Madras Christian College, Chennai

When Economic Statecraft has a gendered cost:
How sanctions affect women? 
Why do economic sanctions, despite targeting states and political actors, often produce disproportionate consequences for women?
Nivedya Murali
Department Of Political Science, Madras Christian College, Chennai

Equality isn't free. So who is paying?
What are the issues and challenges in financing gender equity?
Samriddhi Sharma
Department of Political Science, Economics and Sociology, Mount Carmel University, Bengaluru 

1440-1500 hrs: Inputs from Discussants
Preetha Renganarayanan 
Research Assistant, NIAS, Bengaluru
&
Namrata L Ghanghatkar
Department of Public Policy, Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences

1500-1530 hrs: Q&A

1530-1600 hrs: Break 
 

1600-1730 hrs: Session-II
1600-1640 hrs: Presentations
Declining presence:
Examining women's space in political leadership 
What does it mean when women begin to lose ground in the corridors of power? 
Madhuritha D
Department of Political Science, Madras Christian College, Chennai

Women at the Table:
Representation and the Women, Peace and Security Agenda
From Resolution 1325 to UNGA 81: Are women really being given a voice in peace and security?
A Varshini
Kumaraguru College of Liberal Arts and Science, Coimbatore
 
Gendered Geopolitics of Peacebuilding:
Women’s exclusion from Global Peace and Security Governance 
Why is there a persistent disconnect between women’s exposure to conflict and their representation in peace and security decision-making?
Irin Reji Thomas
Department of Political science, Madras Christian College, Chennai 

The Missing Voices of Peace:
Women are involved in peacebuilding, so why are they still missing from formal peace negotiations?
Disha V
Department of International Relations, South Asian University, Delhi

1640-1700 hrs: Inputs from Discussants
Madhura Meenakshi Tanikella 
Department of Political Science, School of Liberal Arts, Alliance University, Bengaluru

1700-1730 hrs: Q&A

 

20 October 2026, Tuesday
1400-1600 hrs: Session-III


1400-1440 hrs: Presentations
Five Years since the Taliban takeover:
The challenge of gender apartheid and accountability in Afghanistan
How has the international community able to response to the restrictions imposed on Afghan women and girls even five years after the Taliban came to power?
Mathew Alex
Department of Political Science, Madras Christian College, Chennai 

The Double Bind:
Women bearing the burden of poverty, yet missing from the power to end it
How can global poverty be effectively eradicated if women lack the institutional power to drive solutions, and how must anti-poverty strategies adapt to the reality that women do not experience poverty as a homogeneous group? 
Vagisha Mishra
Department of Political Science, Economics and Sociology, Mount Carmel University, Bengaluru 

Existential Breaking Point:
Funding cuts are pushing women’s organisations to the brink
Case studies from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sudan and Lebanon on what happens when the organisations protecting women and girls in crisis can no longer survive? 
Sreya K H
Department of Political Science, Madras Christian College, Chennai

Climate Change poses a Disproportionate Threat to Women
Why does climate change create a disproportionate range of challenges for women, even though women and men are equally exposed to climate-related hazards?
Puspen Karmakar
Centre for South Asian Studies, Pondicherry University, Puducherry

1440 -1500 hrs: Inputs from Discussants
Akshath Kaimal
Research Assistant, NIAS, Bengaluru
&
Aishal Yousuf 
Department of International Studies, Stella Maris College, Chennai

1500-1530 hrs: Q&A

1530-1600 hrs: Concluding remarks
 

About the Programme
On 17 September 2026, the UN Women and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) released the “Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The Gender Snapshot 2026” report examining gender equality across all 17 SDGs. The central argument of the report is that while progress has been made, gains remain fragile across areas including women’s political leadership, inclusion in peace process, entry into the corporate ladder, and legal reforms. It also warns that the institutions built over decades to advance gender equality face systemic erosion or reversal at a time when it is most needed. With no SDG 5 target currently on track for 2030, the report places women’s leadership and decision-making at the centre of the gender equality agenda.

Against this backdrop, Global Politics Young Voices #170 on “Women, Power and Institutions: The State of Gender Equality in the 21st Century,” brings together young scholars to examine the structural barriers, institutional challenges, and power dynamics shaping the state of gender equality today.

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