Breakthrough Announces Speaker Line-Up for Reframe 2026 on Women’s Workforce Participation
The three-day New Delhi summit will bring together 60+ policymakers, industry leaders and changemakers to examine gender norms influencing women’s participation in the workforce.
Breakthrough has announced the full speaker line-up for Reframe 2026: Reimagining India’s Future – Equal Participation of Women in the Workforce, its flagship annual summit scheduled for 8–10 September 2026 at the India International Centre (IIC), New Delhi.
The summit will bring together more than 60 speakers representing policy, industry, philanthropy, civil society, academia, media and youth movements. Across seven panel discussions and interactive workshops, the event will examine the invisible gender norms influencing who enters, remains and succeeds in the workforce.
Speakers from Policy, Industry and Grassroots Organisations
The three-day programme will feature speakers working across policies, systems and social narratives connected to women’s economic participation. The announced speaker line-up includes:
- Dr Fauzia Khan, Former Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
- Dr. Renu Swarup, Former Secretary, Department of Bio Technology, Government of India
- Saachi Bhalla, Deputy Director, Gender Equality, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
- Vandana Chavan, Former Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and Former Mayor, Pune and Founder, Pune Climate Warriors
- Priya Ramani, Journalist
- Namita Bhandare, Senior Journalist
- Shrayana Bhattacharya, Senior Economist, World Bank and Author
- Rathish Balakrishnan, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Sattva Consulting
- Nisha Dhawan, President & CEO, EMpower
- Vandana Bahri, Director, Women’s Economic Empowerment, Children's Investment Fund Foundation
- Dr. Aparna Hegde, Founder, ARMMAN
- Dolon Ganguly, Chief Functionary, Azad Foundation
- Dr. Ajay Khera, Country Representative, EngenderHealth
Additional speakers are expected to be announced on the event website.
Focus on Women’s Economic Participation
"India has spent decades preparing women for work. Reframe 2026 is about preparing the workplace and society for women. We are bringing together the people who shape policy, culture and opportunity because gender norms aren't a side conversation to economic growth, they are the growth story," said Nayana Chowdhury, CEO, Breakthrough.
“Reframe 2026 is poised to be a meaningful forum for engaging in conversations around women's workforce participation. As an organisation working with marginalised women to enable them to enter and sustain non-traditional professions, Azad sees this as a natural space for collaboration.Together, we hope to create a society where women can choose, enter and sustain their professions with dignity and free will,” said Dolon Ganguly, Chief Functionary, Azad Foundation a Reframe Partner.
Seven Themes Across Three Days
Reframe 2026 will open with findings from the survey ‘What Makes Work, Work for Her,’ covering women’s aspirations, workplace experiences, retention challenges and the invisible barriers affecting workforce participation across sectors.
Discussions throughout the summit will cover:
- Digital influence and changing public narratives
- Gender-transformative education
- Philanthropy as a catalyst for systems change
- Safe public spaces and mobility
- Maternal and child health as an economic imperative
- Masculinities and the care economy
- Workplace leadership, investing in equality, and the future of inclusive work
The final day will focus on collaborative workshops covering inclusive workplaces, gender-transformative education, gender norm change, youth engagement, innovative storytelling and the role of men as allies in women’s economic empowerment.
Reframe 2026 at a Glance
Event: Reframe 2026: Reimagining India’s Future – Equal Participation of Women in the Workforce
Dates: 8–10 September 2026
Venue: India International Centre (IIC), New Delhi
Organiser: Breakthrough
Speakers: 60+