The Essar Foundation was a corporate participating sponsor at the 12th United Nations Round Table (UNRT) on Communication for Development, at New Delhi held on November 14-17, 2011. Essar was the only corporate to be an active participant in the event.
The event, hosted by UNICEF, was held in India for the first time in 20 years. The theme was the Role of C4D (Communication for Development) for Empowering Adolescent Girls.
This theme resonates well with the Essar Foundation, one of its key programmes being in the area of women’s empowerment viz. Shakti. The Foundation feels that the social, economic and political aspects that influence women’s lives must be addressed in order to ensure women’s empowerment. The Foundation’s activities and projects involve promoting awareness among women who live in and around Essar’s project areas. Issues such as health, education, nutrition and financial management were focused on. This encourages beneficiaries to access government services designed for women and children.
At the UNRT, representatives of 11 UN agencies, including UNICEF, UNAIDS, UNDP, UNESCO, UNCAP, UNODC, FA and WHO, along with NGOs from India, Nepal, Bangladesh, the UK and the US, and the Essar Foundation, aimed at facilitating engagement, participation, empowerment and equity, with specific focus on issues relating to adolescent girls.
The Foundation was represented by Deepak Arora, Vice-President, CSR.
UNICEF India director Karin Hulshof was appreciative of the Essar Foundation, for its support and for partnering this cause.
