New Delhi: Smriti Irani, President of the Alliance for Global Good: Gender equality And equality on Saturday took center stage at the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2025 in Davos, Switzerland, advocating for gender equality as a vital driver of global economic growth.
Irani, a former Union minister, highlighted the importance of gender parity not only as a social necessity but also as a key factor in unlocking trillions in global GDP. “Gender equity is crucial to economic growth and could unlock trillions in global GDP“, he declared, emphasizing that the integration of gender equality into global economic systems is essential for sustainable growth. Throughout the summit, he engaged with world leaders and industry figures, advocating for practical and measures to close the gender gap.
One of the highlights of Irani’s participation in Davos was her meeting with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam. The two leaders focused on gender-responsive trade policies and the integration of women entrepreneurs into global value chains, a critical step in empowering women in business.
Irani also had a productive discussion with Bill Gates, reinforcing the alliance’s mission to create systemic change. The conversation focused on overcoming barriers in healthcare, digital skills and leadership. Gates expressed strong support for the alliance’s data-driven strategy and scalable solutions crucial to empowering women globally.
Reflecting on the partnership’s milestones, Irani met with Børge Brende, President of WEF, to highlight initiatives such as the Commonwealth Partnership for Gender Tilt Programs and the South Asia Women in Energy (Sawie) initiative. Sawie aims to amplify women’s leadership in the energy sector, a vital area for advancing global sustainability.
A key moment at the summit was Irani’s leadership of the WEF session “Women at the fulcrum of global economies,” co-hosted by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The session explored the potential for women to control 50% of global wealth by 2030. Data presented during the session indicated that increasing women’s participation in the workforce could add an estimated $1.6-$2.3 trillion to Global GDP, showing the immense economic potential of gender equality. .
Irani’s commitment to driving measurable results was evident in her collaborations with business leaders such as Phuthi Mahanyele Dabengwa, CEO of Naspers, and Naomi Morszeri, Senior Vice President of Salesforce. Together, they discussed the critical need to empower women with digital skills to lead in emerging sectors such as technology and e-commerce.
Additionally, Irani prioritized healthcare, forging partnerships with organizations like Gavi and the Coalition for Health Innovation and Collaboration (CHIC) to improve access to healthcare for underserved women globally.
At the alliance’s “leadership lounge”, Irani brought together stakeholders from various sectors to address persistent gender gaps in leadership. Discussions focused on creating gender-inclusive policies and training initiatives, reinforcing the alliance’s commitment to empowering women in all fields.
In her efforts to amplify women’s leadership stories, Irani collaborated with Time magazine’s Viktoria degtar to change global narratives and create new platforms for recognition. Irani emphasized the importance of global cooperation, saying: “Our mission is to connect people around the world and empower women in business, develop their skills and focus on their health and well-being.”
Irani also emphasized initiatives launched this year, including a project aimed at training 100,000 enterprise companies in India, with plans for global expansion. Through these efforts, Irani continues to push toward a future where women’s leadership drives economic growth, social change, and global cooperation.