Other

BBC World Service News Internet

The Compass v2 Podcast

The Compass

Documentaries

Factual: Life Stories

The Compass v2 Standard

With ideas too big for a single episode, The Compass presents mini-series about society

Surprising stories from unusual places. With ideas too big for a single episode, The Compass presents mini-series about the environment and politics, culture and society.

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

BBC World Service East Asia

The Compass: My Perfect City: My Perfect City: Women entrepreneurs in Kochi

Bulletins

Factual

My Perfect City: Gender equality in Kochi

20/01/2021 GMT

My Perfect City: Women entrepreneurs in Kochi

My Perfect City

BBC World Service - The Compass, My Perfect City, My Perfect City: Women entrepreneurs in Kochi

An Indian city making female entrepreneurship a priority

Kochi in southwest India is making female entrepreneurship a priority. Is it a blueprint other cities should follow?

The cosmopolitan port city of Kochi is the commercial capital of the southern state of Kerala, which has a special track record when it comes to gender equality. Female literacy and life expectancy rates are among the highest in India, and greater access to economic opportunities has made Kochi a hub for women-led businesses, which not only boosts the economy but has lasting development benefits for society as a whole.

The newly elected Mayor of Kochi, M Anil Kumar, is keen to make female entrepreneurship a flagship policy by increasing access to funding, startup and incubation programmes. We also hear how women’s safety is key to ensuring they have equal access to the workplace. But how far does India’s deep-seated gender discrimination cast a shadow?

Fi Glover is joined by urbanists Abha Joshi-Ghani and Dr Ellie Cosgrave to assess Kochi’s achievements. Is it a model for a perfect city?

The team also consider Stockholm’s record on promoting women entrepreneurs.

Featuring Pinky Jayaprakash, CEO and co-founder of edtech digital assessment platform SkEdu; Vinodini Isaac, president of the Women’s Entrepreneur Network; Dr Shoba Arun, reader in sociology at Manchester Metropolitan University; and EK Bharat Bhushan, Kerala’s former chief secretary.

The Compass: My Perfect City

Fi Glover, Ellie Cosgrave and Greg Clark explore innovative cities solving global problems

After three series showcasing solutions to global problems from countries around the world, the My Perfect Country team now turn their attention to the achievements of “perfect cities”.

It’s said that by 2050 cities will be home to 6.4 billion people. They stand at the centre of the world’s most pressing challenges, and are often better able to respond.
 
Presenter Fi Glover returns with two new panellists to analyse and critique the best policies from global cities: Dr Ellie Cosgrave, Director of UCL City Leadership Laboratory; and urbanist Professor Greg Clark. The team scour the world looking for the most inspirational cities, from those tackling environmental issues and urban violence, to encouraging political participation and transforming slums. Are they models other cities should follow?

Accessibility links

Programme Index

The Compass

My Perfect City

My Perfect City: Women entrepreneurs in Kochi

Genres

Formats

Brand

Series

BBC World Service News Internet

About BBC World Service