Rural Women Show Their Might To Get Their Right

A two day convention of rural women leaders, which was held on 24th and 25th March,2011, in the east Uttar Pradesh town of Mau, brought together over 400 women leader delegates from 10 districts of eastern UP, to share their bitter and sweet experiences under the umbrella of the “Empowering Rural Women-ERW” program.

Under the banner of this program, over 40,000 women from the marginalized and backward communities of this backward area, (of an already backward state), have formed ‘women collectives’ or Nari Sanghs in 253 Gram Panchayats (village councils), and are working ceaselessly towards claiming their entitlements, with special emphasis on right to food and right to work. They are also demanding their rightful place in the political and social arena.
During this unique meet, the women leaders spoke of how they were courageously taking forward their movement for demanding, and also getting, their rights through the collective efforts of the members of the Nari Sanghs.

While explaining the reasons which led to the formation of these women’s collectives,