| | | Supported by |  | | | | | What does a Bollywood star have to do with Indian women's wellbeing? Everything | |
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| | | In her words | Shah Rukh Khan may be an Indian cinematic legend and star of record-breaking Bollywood blockbusters but he is not a name you would expect to appear in socioeconomic studies. Yet, the actor has been crucial in my research into the economic lives of ordinary Indian women. It started in 2006 when, as a research assistant, I was responsible for
surveying workers in Ahmedabad – women who made incense sticks and garments at home for less than the minimum wage. But the women were bored by my questions. So finally I changed tack and started asking about Bollywood stars they liked. Khan was a favourite; the conversations opened up. The women laughed and relaxed. This accidental joyful atmosphere triggered by the topic of Khan introduced me to women I would follow for most of my working life. So what have nearly two decades of conversations with Khan's fanbase revealed? First, fun and leisure are important metrics of wellbeing and women's purchasing power. The ability to watch a film star was an easy way for many women to chronicle their difficulties in finding disposable income, leisure time, jobs and financial independence. Second, access to paid jobs helped change gender norms; it opened up opportunities to imagine new ways of being in the world. No longer was marriage central to young women's sense of self. "It is better to explore, be single and watch Shah Rukh on the screen when men or life make you sad," said one. Yet hopes for gender parity may be dashed in the near future. In a ranking of 146 countries in the 2024 World Economic Forum's global gender gap index, India was in the bottom five for women's economic participation. Only a quarter of urban women of working age hold paid jobs, woefully behind men at 75%. India may have gained freedom from its colonisers, but women continue to fight for their independence every day. And as the fight for freedom continues, with reality sometimes disappointing, the fantasy of a movie star offers relief and refuge.
Shrayana Bhattacharya is an economist and author of Desperately Seeking Shah Rukh. Read the full article here | |
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| | | | Women behind the lens: 'I Want to Be Like Her is my way of paying tribute to 10 exceptional Africans' | | | For generations, African women have played a critical role in the political, economic, social, artistic and spiritual growth of our continent. Many have not received due recognition for their incredible contributions. I Want to Be Like Her is my way of paying tribute to 10 exceptional African women, both living and past. They include writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie; director general of the World Trade Organization, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Cameroonian lawyer and LGBTQ+ rights advocate Alice Nkom; and the late Kenyan environmentalist Wangarĩ Maathai. These brave trailblazers have changed – and are changing – narratives about Africa. They are examples of what African women are able to achieve and are proof that our continent needs more women in leadership positions. In this image I am posing as Angélique Kidjo, a singer, songwriter and composer from Benin, who has produced 16 albums and won five Grammy awards. When she was in high school, Kidjo created the word "batonga", which means "get off my back, I can be whoever I want to be", as a response to bullying boys. It is now the name of her charity foundation, which supports the education of young girls in Africa. To tell these stories, I decided as an actor and model to impersonate each of the women in a series of photos that represent their profession or accomplishments – or both. After realising the strength of the attachment they all have to their own cultures and traditions, I added elements of African lifestyle and crafts to the images. This attachment and faithfulness to the continent is something I wanted to be present in the images to suggest that African culture and traditions have a role to play in shaping future generations of African female leaders. This is an ongoing project: I plan to feature at least another 30 women from even more countries, and to turn it into a children's book. Girls have to know that they too can be instruments for Africa's development, that they are the leaders of tomorrow and that, just like the women profiled, they can influence and inspire future generations with their work and achievements. Stella Chuisse is a Cameroonian film director, actor and model. An exhibition featuring images from I Want to Be Like Her is showing at the Centre d'Art Photographique Reza in Châteauvillain, Haute-Marne, France. Follow her on Instagram at @stellatchuisse. Read the full article here | |
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| | | | Things to look out for | Ideation Hub Africa is hosting its annual Women in Development Summit, a networking and mentorship convention for women working in the development, social and philanthropic sectors across Africa. Held in Lagos, Nigeria, on 20 July, guests can participate virtually or in person. | The Royal College of Music in London is celebrating the role of trailblazing women in Sufi music through its exhibition Awaken: Sufi Music & Women of South Asia. Until 20 October. | Podcast: The Messy Inbetween, hosted by Kenyan influencers Murugi Munyi and Lydia KM, features the two friends talking candidly about sex and relationships, from dating to sibling rivalries to generational trauma and toxic masculinity. | Please let us know about your events or ideas for Her Stage by emailing herstage@theguardian.com | | | |
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