The importance of equity
Equity is necessary if every part of the country and every citizen has to dream and have the wherewithal to make that dream a reality. Onward!
The problem in this world continues to be the feeling in a vocal majority, that they can subjugate a silent though resentful minority and through the sheer strength of numbers prevent equity from flourishing in the world.
Speaking on an equity panel in Chicago a few years ago, it was both amusing and daunting for me to find the number of inequities that exist in every part of the world. In the US it has always been primarily colour, with the white majority feeling guilty in the most part for the treatment to people of colour, but doing precious little to make real inclusion and belonging happen. Inequities also exist between Japanese nationals and people who migrated from Korea, between the rich in the cities Yangtze and Pearl Delta in China and their less privileged countrymen living in the interiors. And in India, we have class, caste, religion and many other subtle and not so subtle distinctions that lead to equity being compromised at the altar of establishing supremacy.
In an enlightening two day retreat of the Social Venture Partners International Board in Seattle in October, our Board consisting of people from the USA, Latin America, Japan, China and of course India deliberated a new theory of change that could help our network to truly address and resolve equity issues in all the twelve countries where our three thousand plus partners live and do their collaborative social work. In the words of SVPI CEO Sudha, “our conversations centred around the need for clarity and direction, given our history, the energy of our network and the urgent challenges of our time.”
In committing ourselves to network theory, where our strength as network hub enables us to lead and organise all stakeholders at regional, national and international levels, we have been able to provide committed support to affiliates all over the world in their efforts to engage local partners and demonstrate true community impact. But an equally important element of being a global network is our ability to “do additional work that aggregates our collective efforts to create greater impact and more just outcomes in the world.”
Our strength as network hub enables us to lead and organise all stakeholders at regional, national and international levels
The key phrase here could well be “Just outcomes” and in these troubled times, we have many questions that worry us about both equity and justice. Is the impeachment process currently making its way into the open in the US a just treatment of the American President? Will re-election of Prime Minister Boris Johnson just to ensure that a tired nation gets BREXIT done and moves on to better work provide true justice to the cause? And closer home, do all parties accept that justice has been done in the landmark Ayodhya judgement delivered by the Supreme Court. The acceptance of the verdict has indeed enabled the nation to heave a collective sigh of relief, and in the larger interests of equity, one can only hope that a lasting peace will now prevail and members from all communities will feel empowered to work collaboratively for so many of the national causes that need to addressed in the months and years to come.
John Powell, the passionate and eloquent academic advocate of equity has advocated an equal focus on agency, belonging and change in our work with equity restoration at a local or larger theatre of work. At SVP India, the eco-system for a million sustainable livelihoods that we are trying to build in seven cities in partnership with over forty NGO partners encourages every potential beneficiary of our processes to build aspiration for their own success and develop a sense of belonging with the institution that is taking responsibility for providing them the tools and skills to succeed. Finally, the change happens when all of us work together-the NGOs, the beneficiaries in every location, the academics, researchers, funders, and government agencies and the lead partners and enablers at SVP India. This is how one ensures a true sense of belonging in a co-created space that pervades the entire environment.
The four worthy non-profits that I am personally involved with at a Board level are all exemplars of this spirit of collaboration to enable equity. Educate Girls has set itself the noble objective of putting every rural girl into school and in the ambition to scale this to nearly two crore beneficiaries, has aligned with village panchayats, teachers and village youth to enable change in the entire eco-system. Pune City Connect and NES have deployed the Lighthouse model of youth skilling and livelihood creation to enrol skills partners, corporates and the local governments in the agenda to ensure no youth with a dream are left behind. And Social Venture Partners, in its work with seasoned and new philanthropists, local and national NGOs, corporate bodies and worthy partners like the Tata Trusts has found many pathways to ensure that the youth of the country get the sense of belonging they so richly deserve.
Equity is necessary if every part of the country and every citizen has to dream and have the wherewithal to make that dream a reality. Onward!