Stop Violence Against Women in South Asia

Over the past few months, partners have been busy addressing cases of violence against women and children during the pandemic and lockdown. The pandemic and lockdown left several women and children prone to more violence at home and in their communities. 

Post-lockdown, partners have started visiting their communities again and are holding gender equality and capacity building workshops with women. These community meetings are platforms for educating women and girls about their rights and entitlements.  Partners with support of local authorities have been able to educate over three hundred women in the past three months. The community level interactions have helped partner organisations support women and children in need of care and protection as well as create awareness at local level. The awareness programs have been conducted in 5 states and in over 15 districts of India. Social activists at community level have been regularly visiting communities and supporting women in filing complaints and visiting health care facilities. They have been also engaged in holding dialogues with stakeholders like lawyers, district legal service aid authority, women and child departments, and others.

Our partners in Aurangabad Sadhna Institute for Social Development and Cantonment Jan Adhikar Manch organized a one-day community level program which was attended by 35 women. The program highlighted the issues of sexual harassment of women at the workplace, child sexual abuse and the Integrated Child Development Scheme and its benefits. The program was led by advocates working with the One Stop Centre, official from health department and a retired government official. The training created awareness amongst women and led to further formation of group of women who would work towards supporting women and girls in their communities. The training was widely covered by the local media.

Similarly our partner in Maharashtra organized a day program for women of 4 villages . The program was supported by the local College for Social Work as well as the District Legal Aid Service Authority. Over 50 women participated and were informed about their legal rights in relation to domestic and sexual violence as well as the legal remedies available under the law.

Partners in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand Mahila Mukti Sanstha have been successful in forming a group of 30 women who are being trained on gender, violence and health. These trainings have helped women raise their voice at local level and are now actively holding discussions with village leaders and government authorities.  

Friends in Madhya Pradesh have been working with police officials and One Stop Centre to provide women survivors of sexual violence support. In 7 districts of Madhya Pradesh they have provided psycho-socio support to women as well as support them with filing complaints before police and make representations before courts. The team have also organized trainings for workers supporting One Stop Centers on gender and ethical counselling. 

These trainings will help the Network strengthen its work at community level as well as support women who are the main beneficiaries of this project and create a more just society where women’s rights are upheld and there is gender equality.

Your continued support enables this work to continue at a time when violence against girls and women is on the rise. Thank you for supporting this network to have such a great impact.