Women empowerment
Tribal girls are kicking conventional norms through football
The defiant all-women football team in rural West Bengal is winning hearts for their skills and resilience, and also bridging the gender divide.
Fostering menstrual health and women’s empowerment in rural India
Providing education, affordable products and fostering a supportive environment can go a long way to empower women and girls, and break taboos around menstrual health.
Rural women breathe easy in the kitchen, thanks to biogas
Women in UP’s Bahraich district regularly faced breathing problems and watery eyes when they used wood-fired stoves for cooking. But now biogas produced from cow dung has made cooking easier, faster and cheaper.
Fashion influencer Nancy Tyagi’s journey from Barnawa to Cannes
“Mehnat kabhi waste nahi jaati,” (hard work never goes to waste) says Nancy Tyagi, the Indian influencer from a village in Uttar Pradesh who is winning hearts at the 77th Cannes film festival.
This Bengal woman shows there’s money in honey
Chaya Mondal of Tripura Nagar village in West Bengal defied gender norms and took to beekeeping after helping the men in her family rear honeybees. She now runs a successful business through the sale of honey and related products.
Lado Pustakalaya: Women’s village library nurtures dreams of aspiring scholars
In Sarsod village of Haryana’s Hisar district, a library for women offers peace and uninterrupted study time, away from distractions and challenges at home.
I want to see girls stand up for themselves: ‘Skater girl’ Asha
From growing up in a tribal family in Madhya Pradesh to participating in a championship in China, Asha Gond has realised her dream. The ‘skater girl’ and her German mentor Ulrike Reinhard tell us about their journey and more.
Where school dropouts get to work in hospitals
Young women who had dropped out of school due to difficult circumstances get trained to work as nursing assistants, while also learning to develop a professional attitude at work.
Three generations, one melody: Meet Saas Bahu Ki Jodi
Geeta Parag, who forms the ‘Saas Bahu ki Jodi’, a trio of bhakti (devotional) singers along with her mother-in-law and daughter in Madhya Pradesh, overcomes social dictates and inspires young women and girls to embrace their musical heritage.
Growing chicks empowers women beyond financial gains
In rural Jharkhand, women seeking a way out of poverty get trained to start a small poultry business, and taste financial success and empowerment.
From acid attacks to STEM, these NGOs are working on issues concerning women and girls across India
Health, education, livelihood, gender crime…. When it comes to the issues faced by women and girls, the list can be long. Here are some development organisations working towards making the country a better place for them.
Bihar women weave a new future with sikki grass
In Bihar's Jhanjharpur block, Munni Devi weaves not just baskets, toys and dolls but also the futures of other women in her village with Madhubani’s magical sikki grass.
How these rural women shatter stereotypes
Women, who once played traditional gender roles, are now working to uplift not just their own lives but also those of their communities. This International Women’s Day, we revisit inspiring rural women featured on Village Square.
MGNREGA — How more rural women can join the workforce
Appointing women mates has increased the participation of women in the rural workforce. But identifying and addressing issues will ensure choosing the right candidates and produce better results.
Ahead of season 3, a real-life ‘Panchayat’ experience in MP
Harish Joshi, resembling the character of “sachiv ji”, shares his experiences as the panchayat secretary, while sarpanch Inderbai reflects on women’s empowerment in Mahodiya village of Madhya Pradesh where the popular web series ‘Panchayat’ was filmed.
Empowering Punjab’s rural women
The essence of the rural employment guarantee scheme lay obscured in many villages of Punjab, veiled by the shadows of ignorance. But a women's collective is helping to empower beneficiaries across nearly 3,000 villages.
Caution: Reading this will make you crave paani-puri
With no background in making puris for the delectable pani puri or in running a business, a group of women in rural Tamil Nadu become successful micro-entrepreneurs.
A Punjab college for girls where every student is a teacher
Baba Aya Singh Riarki College in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district stands as a beacon of empowerment, challenging stereotypes and showcasing how girls are capable of achieving remarkable feats.
Uttarakhand women enjoy ‘khushi ka ek din’
Festivals being held across Kumaon region are helping 'pahadi' women to let their hair down and revel in simple joys, even though only for a day in a year.
Farmers turn to organic farming thanks to this ‘agri-friend’
Observing the rampant use of farm chemicals and resultant asthma among villagers, Geeta Rani Satpathy becomes a krishi mitra, and with an indirect approach convinces farmers to give up chemicals and practise organic cultivation.