Initiatives: Women's Issues

an excerpt from our upcoming website
written by Nivedita Gunturi

Problem Statement
In developing countries like India, underprivileged women are frequently uneducated, which leaves them disadvantaged and financially dependent on their husbands, brothers, and other male members of the family. Women are at higher risk for reproductive health issues, as well as other physical and social hardships. Women's health, emotional well-being, and ability to fend for themselves reflect a great deal on the socioeconomic indicators of a particular community. In fact, a community in which the women are not empowered cannot move forward until that deficiency has been remedied.

There are several factors at play, the most important of which is the cultural barrier which prevents women from reaching a state of independence and self-sufficiency. In many cases the women hold themselves back, having been born and brought up in a culture which does not value them as contributing members of society. They may devalue themselves, making their empowerment a matter of changing their attitudes in addition to changing their circumstances.

Education levels of women are usually much lower than those of their male counterparts. Female literacy rates are an important indicator of this disparity. As noted in India's 2001 census, "the disparity in the male and female literacy rates among the slum population is pronounced in almost all cities and towns.¹" It is estimated that only 65% of women are educated, compared to 77% among men². Furthermore, many women are uneducated about matters that are essential for reproductive health; for example, almost one third of women in urban slums have no knowledge of contraception³. Given that culturally, women are given sole responsibility for maintaining households and ensuring the well-being of their children, educating female children is vital.

Other social issues such as alcoholism among men, domestic abuse, and inadequate female representation in policy-making and judicial bodies hold women back, keeping them in a subordinate position. Women need to be taught and encouraged, especially by other women, to protect themselves and their children from injustice, and to give voice to their concerns and apprehensions, demanding equal consideration.

Importance of Women's Empowerment in Community Rehabilitation
Communities in which the women are given equal governing and economic roles have proven to be more successful in achieving stability and self-sufficiency. "Given the significance of women’s labour based economic contributions to the households among the poor," notes researcher Preet Rustagi, "improvements... concerning their educational and skill development gain tremendous importance for poverty amelioration.⁴"

It is vital, especially in conditions where the men in the households are not taking sufficient responsibility for the well-being of their families due to alcoholism, gambling, or other detractors, to give women the confidence, tools, resources and support system that they need in order to take financial and political responsibility upon themselves. Empowerment of an entire community has to begin with the empowerment of its women. It is only when the women have the confidence and social mandate to play a part in - if not lead - community policy and financial decision-making that the community can truly move forward.

Our Approach
We feel that the ideal way to empower women, given Sangam India's value system, is to help women to form self-help groups within the communities in which we work. These self-help groups will provide women with a sense of community and a support system to bolster their confidence. The self-help group model then opens doors across the board for better health practices for women, microfinance and microloans, community funds, and perhaps even a voice in policy-making and establishing rights.

To finish the rest of this article, check back on our upcoming website, releasing July 2009.

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1. Census of India 2001 - http://nuhru.in/?q=disknode/get/2/Slums%2520in%2520India%2520-%2520An%2520Overview.pdf&download
2. Shraddha, Agrawal and Bharti BM (2006). Reproductive health in urban slums. The Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology in India Vol 56 No 3 pp255-257. http://medind.nic.in/jaq/t06/i3/jaqt06i3p255.pdf
3. Chandramouli, Dr C (2003). Slums In Chennai: A Profile. Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Environment and Health, Chennai, India, 15-17 December, 2003. Chennai: Department of Geography, University of Madras and Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University. http://www.yorku.ca/bunchmj/ICEH/proceedings/Chandramouli_C_ICEH_papers_82to88.pdf
4. Rustagi, Preet et. al (2009). India: Urban Poverty Report 2009. United Nations Development Programme. http://www.undp.org.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=540&Itemid=646