Ms. Renana Jhabvala

Chair SEWA

Renana Jhabvala has been a leading figure for decades in organising women in the informal economy into trade unions, cooperatives, and financial institutions in India. She is widely known for her long association with the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) and for her extensive work on policy issues affecting poor and working women in the informal sector.
In recognition of her contributions to social work, she was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 1990. She served as Chancellor of Gandhigram Rural University from 2012 to 2017 and was a Member of the United Nations Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Women’s Economic Empowerment from 2016 to 2017. She has also held several key leadership positions, including Chairperson of SEWA Bharat, SEWA Bank, and SEWA Grih Rin.
Renana Jhabvala has made significant contributions to research and writing on women’s work, social protection, and inclusive development, and is the author and co-author of several influential publications in these fields.