Exploring Intersectionality and Designing Inclusive Programs

ANDE Asia has continued its commitment to building inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems through the Access and Learning Opportunity Learning Lab, a dedicated platform for a cohort of 20 entrepreneur support organizations in the Asia region, which supports the implementation of disability and gender inclusion measures within their organizations.

Following the launch of the lab, ANDE Asia recently conducted the first session of the lab focusing on “Exploring Intersectionality and Designing Inclusive Programs”, where the cohort explored the concept of intersectionality and its importance in business development programming from the two invited expert speakers; Shamha Naseer, Gender Specialist for the Youth Empowerment Portfolio in Asia and the Pacific at UNDP’s Bangkok Regional Hub, and Ian Jones, Co-Founder and Director at Mekong Inclusive Ventures. 

During the session, the cohort members also shared their insights on intersectionality and discussed their experiences working with stakeholders who face compounded or heightened barriers due to overlapping identities, and highlighted best practices for fostering inclusive leadership and decision-making within their organizations.