For far too long, women have faced systemic barriers that have hindered their progress in various spheres of life, including education, employment, and entrepreneurship. Gender inequalities have persisted, limiting women’s access to opportunities and stifling their potential to contribute fully to society’s growth and development.
However, the tide is turning, and visionary leaders are stepping forward to address these pressing issues. One such trailblazer is actively involved with Women Choice, an organisation dedicated to empowering women through business and career development solutions. But her impact goes beyond just that.
Priti Mayank Patel is an Indian serial entrepreneur based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
and the Founder & CEO of Tenet-Media. She is also the Expansion Partner to the Social
Innovation Incubator (SII) for women’s employment in India.
You’ve been actively involved with Women Choice, an organisation empowering women through business and career development solutions. Could you share more about your role as the Expansion Partner to the Social Innovation Incubator (SII) for women’s employment and the impact it has had so far?
I am the 1st Expansion Partner of SII (Social Innovation Incubator) by Women Choice, meaning that I am the first partner to take this successful concept in the Middle East and Northern Africa to another region, which is India. We have already started to build the foundations jointly with the Women Choice and SII team and we are planning the activities for SII India that will officially be launched at the end of 2023.
We are working on signing key partnerships with key international and local organisations that will help grow the project. We are in discussion with the relevant Indian authorities as well. Even if the focus is India, the Indian community being so big in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), we are leveraging the synergies between the two countries in order to see how to best support Indian women in general wherever they might be.
Before entering the business world, you focused on improving women’s healthcare in underserved regions globally. How did that experience shape your perspective and influence your approach to your current initiatives?
Having the opportunity to work in underserved regions globally by helping in improving the healthcare systems, for men, women and kids, was eye-opening in so many ways starting with how much we still have to do to bring equal access to healthcare to many places in the world. It shaped my perspective on life and changed me to the core. Being confronted with so much poverty, and pain leaves prints on your soul and that is why giving a hand to others has always been what drives me. Everything is linked, and healthcare is linked to the business environment, so helping a community increase their education or bringing more women into the picture when it comes to local businesses, has an impact on the whole ecosystem which includes healthcare. I decided to go back to the source of the issue which is bringing access to education or financial support to local businesses.
Can you elaborate on the four key aspects of your work under the brand SII, particularly the dedicated program for women entrepreneurs and the initiatives to help women advance in the corporate world?
The four key aspects of my work under SII India are supporting women entrepreneurs with a dedicated program, helping women in the corporate world advance their careers, mentoring students, and continuing to bring positive change to women’s and men’s health. All these matters equally but the priority definitely is around bringing financial and educational support to women’s entrepreneurs to help them grow an existing business or launch a new venture thanks to the relevant partners. As far as women in the corporate world are concerned, the most important is to help them connect with peers who can mentor them and boost their confidence in asking for higher pay and equal career opportunities.
Gender parity, health, sustainability, and digital transformation are important topics aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. How do you integrate these themes into your ventures, and what specific impact are you striving to achieve in these areas?
The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG2030) is definitely a roadmap for all of us but beyond these goals, our responsibility as individuals towards each other demands that we put sustainability and equity at the centre of all conversations. It is proven that having a gender-balanced organisation brings more results, the same applies to a nation’s governance and our society in general. If women, who represent half of the world’s population, are not involved in negotiations and plans around sustainability, how can we reach these goals? Regarding my ventures, I am actually also involved with an organisation here in Dubai specifically focusing on sustainability and renewable energy.
How do you see technology playing a role in addressing gender inequality and health disparities, both locally and globally, through your various initiatives?
Technology is an accelerator for literally everything and addressing gender inequality is no exception. Having access to a community of women who might be spread across a region by connecting to them via social media, online events, and any other existing tool makes it easier to help them overcome some of their challenges. Indeed, some women in more rural areas might already have small businesses in place to survive and not be aware that with a little bit more knowledge and understanding on how to run a business, they could earn even more and encourage other women to do the same. When it comes to health, it’s all the truer that technology makes a difference: from having access to certain medications or treatments to being able to communicate with healthcare professionals.
What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs, especially women looking to make a positive impact through their business ventures?
Entrepreneurship is a journey that starts with the decision to try but lasts with the will to make it happen every single day. It’s challenging but rewarding in so many ways but most importantly it’s genderless and accessible to anyone who has an idea and a vision. I want to help women remember that they are as capable as any man to not only create but also run a business. To the women entrepreneurs with established businesses and the possibility to help others, I ask them to always seek opportunities to give back by creating employment opportunities if they can or at least share their stories to inspire more women to do the same. Financial support is key but having the right network of support as well. Finding mentors and business advocates will help grow a small venture faster. Entrepreneurs, whether women are men, are the backbone of our society and it’s up to each of us to see how we can support their journey.
