Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Lord Paul: Political independence without women’s economic independence is a sham

Industrialist and educationist Lord Swraj Paul has asserted that political independence without women’s economic independence is a sham and all societies must address this.

Speaking at the three-day Women Economic Forum held at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in London, Lord Paul, chancellor of the Wolverhampton University said: “I have seen how adjusting curricula and broadening access for women has had exceptional


results. So I urge those of you involved in education, particularly higher education, to examine this.

“The University of Wolverhampton is prepared to assist and to demonstrate our approaches and methodologies for those who are interested.”

“We are justly proud of political independence but political independence without women’s economic independence is a sham. All of us who have been more fortunate in life have an obligation to address this.”

He mentioned two other areas of concern - educational and business practice.

He noted: “Worryingly, only half of all South Asian women are literate. If literacy is the gateway to progress, this is alarming. Apart from the personal consequences, there are profound national implications.

“Today, in our globalised economics, the illiterate cannot prosper. Even the most basic employment in the modern world requires the ability to read and write. So, while the pressure is at the top, we must also work at the bottom.

Lord Paul, chairman of the Caparo Group of Industries, said, “The challenge for everyone concerned with the state of society is this - how best to apply human resources to creatively and responsibly shape the world that will emerge.

“We need to mobilise all our resources. The talent, energy, hearts and minds of about half of humanity have been largely underutilised.

“Human advancement means women’s advancement - achieved through the kind of efforts that all of you are engaged in. We cannot have a better world without having a better world for women - and economic enhancement is one of the keys to this.”

He admitted there has been significant progress but more so at the top.

“There are a number of women prime ministers throughout the world, and even the United States came close to electing a woman president. Of course in Britain we have our second woman prime minister Theresa May, who is doing a marvellous job.”

Yet, he noted, only 24 per cent of Indian women are economically engaged and even fewer in a lot of other countries. Contrast this with about 60 to 70 per cent in many Western countries, he noted.

Prince Tessy of Luxembourg, India’s Deputy High commissioner to the UK Dinesh Patnaik are among those who attended the meeting.

More For You

Brothers deny assaulting police during Manchester Airport brawl

Photo for representation. (iStock)

Brothers deny assaulting police during Manchester Airport brawl

TWO brothers accused of assaulting a man inside a Starbucks and later attacking police officers at Manchester Airport are standing trial, with the prosecution arguing they used "unlawful and extreme violence".

Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, and his older brother Muhammad Amaad, 26, both from Rochdale, are said to have acted aggressively on July 23 last year while at the airport to pick up their mother, who had arrived on a flight from Qatar.

Keep ReadingShow less
Court to review teen's sentence in Bhim Kohli case
Bhim Kohli

Court to review teen's sentence in Bhim Kohli case

THE seven-year prison sentence handed to a 15-year-old boy convicted of the manslaughter of 80-year-old Bhim Sen Kohli is to be reviewed under the UK’s Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme.

The Attorney General’s Office confirmed on Friday (5) that the teenager’s sentence will now be considered by the Court of Appeal.

Keep ReadingShow less
Dalai Lama hopes to live 'beyond 130 years'

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama attends a prayer meet held for his long life at the Dalai Lama temple in the northern hill town of Dharamshala, India, July 5, 2025. REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis

Dalai Lama hopes to live 'beyond 130 years'

THE Dalai Lama said on Saturday (5) he hopes to live until he is more than 130 years old, two decades longer than his previous prediction, following his assurance to followers that he would reincarnate as the spiritual head of the faith upon his death.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner was speaking during a ceremony organised by his followers to offer prayers for his long life, ahead of his 90th birthday on Sunday (6), and as China insists it will choose his successor. The Dalai Lama told Reuters in December he might live to 110.

Keep ReadingShow less
UK heatwave by mid-July

Daytime temperatures meeting or exceeding set thresholds of 25°C

iStock

Met Office warns of potential third UK heatwave by mid-July

Key points

  • Met Office forecasts rising temperatures by mid-July
  • Possible third heatwave after record-breaking June
  • High pressure system likely to bring hot air from the Atlantic
  • Yellow rain warning and flood alerts issued in parts of Scotland and Cumbria

Possible heatwave to return by mid-July

The UK could experience its third heatwave in a month by mid-July, the Met Office has said. Forecasters expect rising heat and humidity during the second weekend of July, following two weekends of unusually warm weather in late June.

June was officially the hottest on record in England, and the return of high temperatures could mean another heatwave for parts of the country. However, the Met Office cautioned that it is too early to confirm how hot conditions will get.

Keep ReadingShow less
crypto

Two men have been jailed for defrauding investors of £1.5 million through a fake crypto investment scheme. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Two jailed over £1.5m crypto investment scam

TWO people who duped investors of £1.5 million by selling fake investments in crypto have been jailed for 12 years, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said.

Raymondip Bedi, of Bromley, and Patrick Mavanga, of Peckham, conned at least 65 people by cold-calling them between February 2017 and June 2019. They operated companies including CCX Capital and Astaria Group LLP.

Keep ReadingShow less