From poor focus on their education and lack of gynaecological health facilities to gender crimes such as domestic violence and acid attacks, women and girls in India face multiple challenges in every walk of life. Here are a few non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working for women and tackling their issues while empowering rural women:
Towards gender equality in agriculture
Created in 2014 with a mission to empower women farmers and bring them into the limelight, MAKAAM is a nationwide informal forum of over 120 individuals and organisations working with women farmers, civil society groups, researchers and activists. MAKAAM, short for Mahila Kisan Adhikaar Manch, works in 24 states of India to secure rights and recognition for women farmers, the largely invisible section of India’s agricultural workforce. Although women toil long hours in the fields, sowing seeds and nurturing crops, their contribution goes largely unrecognised. This is exactly what MAKAAM aims to change.
Also Read: The dangerous state of women farmers
Improving maternal and child health
Foundation for Mother and Child Health (FMCH) is an organisation working to spread awareness on maternal health and eradicate malnutrition among children. In India, a vast number of pregnant women and children under the age of five are anaemic due to poor nutrition. Also, limited financial resources, difficulties in acquiring nutritious food and lack of awareness result in poor maternal health among women in rural and semi urban areas. FMCH works through three key interventions – educational sessions in the community, home-based counselling and systems strengthening – to empower families from vulnerable communities.
Celebrating women in STEM
The field of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) remains an arena dominated by men, with little recognition provided to achievements and contributions of women in the field. With an aim to promote opportunities for women in exploratory research and reduce gender disparities in research funding, Women for STEM India works to foster inclusivity in the field of scientific research and development. They publish research papers, interviews, art works and articles to showcase the achievements and experiences of women in STEM fields, thereby encouraging diversity and inspiring future women scientists.
Women’s reproductive health
Having positively impacted the lives of over 500,000 women and girls, Ipas Development Foundation (IDF) is a not-for-profit organisation working in India since 2001 to improve the sexual and reproductive health ecosystem in the country. IDF works towards dispelling the taboos around sexual and reproductive health in order to ensure that women and girls can access safe, respectful and non-judgemental sexual and reproductive health services. By helping women gain access to safe contraception and abortion, the organisation, among other NGOs working for women, facilitates them to prioritise their reproductive health and achieve not just physical and mental, but also economic and political wellbeing.
Also Read: Marital blessing helps women understand reproductive system
Empowering acid attack survivors
Acid attacks, a heinous crime whose victims are mostly women, leave the survivors scarred emotionally and physically for the rest of their life. Even after medical treatment, things look bleak for most of them, as challenges such as gaining employment become arduous. Chhanv Foundation aims to change this and empower acid attack survivors by fulfilling their various needs ranging from medical treatment, their education along with their children’s education and the much-needed livelihood opportunities. They work with various partners and stakeholders towards providing rehabilitation and healthcare for the victims and prevention of acid and other forms of burn violence.
Also Read: Acid attack survivor: I don’t want to hide my face
