Village life pivots around women. And – at the same time – they are often pushed to sidelines, quietened, ignored. Here we look at how and why that happens, and champion those working to change it. We would also feature LGBTQ individuals and communities who are all too often overlooked in rural India.
Gender
Community bathrooms help women bathe in privacy
For most women in Bengal’s villages, a bath is a hurried dip in ponds while fully clothed to avoid the unwelcome male gaze. Community bathrooms enable them bathe in private and maintain better hygiene
Bengal’s weavers revive muslin, spin success
The revival of muslin, a fine cotton cloth famous for centuries, has infused financial stability into the lives of traditional spinners and weavers of West Bengal who were struggling for survival earlier
Cooking in iron kadhais combats anemia in Jharkhand
A women's collective movement of cooking in iron kadhais (woks) that helps in reducing the incidence of anemia in rural women is gathering pace in many parts of Jharkhand
Why Dongria Kondh women prefer childbirth at home
Lack of easy access to government healthcare in Kalyansinghpur, in addition to cultural and dietary differences in hospitals, is forcing Dongria Kondh women in remote villages to opt out of institutional delivery
Village girls shed fear and shame about menstruation
Through a health initiative that demystifies menstruation by using games and stories, schoolgirls in rural Jharkhand are learning about menstrual health and the importance of nutrition
Rearing goats empower women in rural Bihar
From just grazing goats, women in rural Muzaffarpur have taken to rearing them and attending to their feed and health needs, empowering themselves with increased incomes in the process
Girls in rural Rajasthan show zeal for science
A rural student’s aspiration has broken gender stereotypes, inspiring girls to choose to study science subjects, with Atal Tinkering Labs, science fairs and other such initiatives increasing science literacy
Revival of Lambadi embroidery stems migration
Failing monsoons forced Lambadi tribes in Sittilingi valley of Tamil Nadu to migrate, but a revival of traditional embroidery by women has enhanced household incomes and stemmed migration
Nursing the underserved to health in rural Rajasthan
As the world commemorates International Day of Nurses on 12 May, young women in Rajasthan have broken stereotypes, becoming nurses after marriage and motherhood, and transforming rural healthcare