New Delhi

The Women Empowerment vertical of the BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BRICS CCI WE), a nonprofit organisation, has launched a global initiative titled WISE - Women in Innovation, Science and Entrepreneurship.

The initiative was announced at the BRICS Women Business Alliance Annual Plenary Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with an aim to drive gender equity in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and enterprise sectors across BRICS+ nations.

WISE is structured around three foundational pillars- Innovation & Collaboration, Access to Funding, and Policy Advocacy. The platform seeks to empower women in technology, particularly emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, by fostering inclusive innovation, building global mentorship networks, advocating for policy reform, and enabling access to funding.

The initiative is being developed in partnership with key organizations including Mulheres Inspiradoras, SKOLKOVO Women's Forum, SheAtWork, and the FORE Centre for Political Leadership and Governance (FCPLG).

BRICS CCI WE also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the WBA Brazilian Chapter to jointly promote sustainable economic development and gender parity.

The Global Advisory Board of WISE includes former BRICS Sherpa Ambassador Sanjay Bhattacharyya, BRICS WBA Brazil Chairperson Monica Monteiro, South Africa's BRICS WBA Chair Lebogang Zulu, BRICS CCI Director General BBL Madhukar, BRICS CCI WE President Ruby Sinha, Think Startup Co-founder Sanjeeva Shivesh, and tech policy expert Monica Maghami.

"A global initiative, BRICS CCI WE WISE brings together mentors, experts and innovators from around the world, to build a knowledge repository and a collaborative community that uplifts women fostering inclusive economic growth and sustainable innovation, across the BRICS+ nations," said Ruby Sinha, President of BRICS CCI WE and Programme Lead for WISE.

"It also aims to identify systemic and regulatory challenges while advocating for enabling policies and reforms across BRICS+ countries to promote women's full participation in innovation and enterprise." noted Ruby Sinha.

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The BRICS CCI WE foster an environment where businesses can thrive, innovate and expand through various initiatives, forums and networking opportunities.  The prime focus of the Women's Vertical of BRICS CCI, BRICS CCI WE are on women empowerment initiatives and policies across geographies.