women’s empowerment
From despair to dignity: Sonadei’s story of hope
Sonadei Nag’s journey from abandonment to empowerment showcases the transformative power of women’s collectives. Through SHG support, agriculture, and entrepreneurship, she overcame societal barriers to secure a future for her children, inspiring her entire community to thrive.
A Punjab village where doorplates bear women’s names
In Manak Khana village of Punjab’s Bathinda district, sarpanch Seshandeep Kaur leads an initiative to install nameplates on houses with the names of the eldest woman in the family as part of a broader effort for women’s empowerment.
Bastar’s ‘pariwar chaupal’ fosters gender equity, rural women’s health
Pariwar Chaupal, a unique initiative launched in Chhattisgarh, is expanding awareness about shared responsibility within households, women’s health, nutrition and gender equity by involving men and other key stakeholders in conversations.
Rural entrepreneur empowers other women in UP
Tasting success and financial freedom through her small ventures, a woman encourages the others towards self-reliance which changes the gender and power equations in her village.
Odisha women earn lakhs by cooking patua from veggie peels
Most of us may discard the nutrient-rich vegetable peels as waste, but the rural women of Mayurbhanj and Balasore districts in Odisha are now using them to prepare the traditional patua dish and earn a living.
A veil won’t cloud her vision
A development management student is inspired by a strong and bold former woman panchayat leader who overcame all odds in a highly patriarchal society to develop a model village.
How rural India showed resilience, synergy during lockdown
Republic Day is an ideal occasion to celebrate rural India’s positive progress. VillageSquare recollects how communities used the lockdown productively, despite difficulties and loss of livelihoods.
How village organizations effect change in rural India
Coming together as a collective helps women shed their inhibitions and realize their potential by working towards personal growth and amplify their voices in confronting disparities
Woman panchayat chief on course to transform village
From efficient COVID-19 preparedness and relief measures to advocating girls’ education and converting a dumping ground into a park, Kanku Ben Amritlal offers hope in rural development
Village Organizations pave way for women’s empowerment
Women who came together for better livelihood, have become socially empowered that they use their collective power to resolve community issues and ensure gender justice
Adolescent girls progress towards complete empowerment
Repressive norms pushed adolescent girls to poor health and early marriage. Bringing them together into groups has helped them improve their health, stop child marriage and learn vocational skills
Rural BPO centers in Bihar open new doors for girls
Business process outsourcing companies in rural Bihar are providing local job opportunities for educated, computer-literate girls in their village, empowering them socially and financially
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
Tribal women in Rajasthan assert citizen rights
Solidarity groups of tribal women in southern Rajasthan have started taking collective action to claim government entitlements such as food and rural employment
Can managing electricity access empower women in rural India?
Even as India provides electricity to all villages, it is important to reflect on how electrification affects men and women in different ways, and the opportunities that decentralized energy access creates for sustainable gender-balanced development
Rural women’s collectives are all about empowerment
Self-help groups in villages bring financial and social empowerment to women, changing entrenched perceptions on their competence in managing their affairs