Women’s Organisation and Initiatives by GOI

Women’s Organisation 

SEWA 

• The Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA) is a trade union founded in 1972 in India, with a primary focus on organizing informal sector women workers such as farmers, artisans, and laborers. It aims to empower women through various initiatives including advocacy, legal aid, microfinance, health care, and education. 
• SEWA operates on the principle of self-reliance, and its goal is to improve the lives and working conditions of its members by providing them with a platform for collective bargaining and access to resources. It has been successful in creating a sense of solidarity among its members and promoting the economic and social empowerment of women in India. 
• SEWA is unique in that it is a trade union, but it also functions as a development organization. It has over 2 million members across India and is run by a board of women who are elected by the members themselves. The organization has received recognition and awards for its innovative approach to empowering women and addressing issues of poverty and social inequality. 

Working Women’s Forum (WWF) 

• The Working Women's Forum (WWF) is a non-governmental organization based in Chennai, India, which focuses on empowering low-income working women in the informal sector. It was founded in 1978 by Ela Bhatt, who also founded the Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA). 
• WWF provides various services to its members, including microcredit loans, health care, child care, and training in various skills such as tailoring, embroidery, and food processing. The organization also advocates for the rights of working women and lobbies for policies that benefit them. 
• WWF has been successful in helping working women improve their economic and social status. It has also expanded its operations to other parts of India and has become a model for similar organizations in other countries. 

Annapurna Mahila Mandal (AMM) 

• Annapurna Mahila Mandal (AMM) is a women’s organization based in Mumbai, India. It was founded in 1975 with the aim of empowering women by providing them with income-generating opportunities.  
• AMM's initial focus was on training women in cooking and catering skills, and then facilitating their employment in canteens and other food establishments.  
• Later, AMM expanded its scope to include other vocational training programs and microfinance services to help women start their own businesses.  
• The organization also provides support to women in accessing health care services and promoting education for their children. Today, AMM has more than 3,500 members and operates in several states across India. 

Initiatives by GOI 

Project Stree Swabhiman 

• Project Stree Swabhiman is a social initiative launched by the Indian government to promote menstrual hygiene and provide affordable sanitary pads to women living in rural areas.  
• The project aims to break the taboo surrounding menstruation and ensure that women have access to clean and hygienic menstrual products.  
• The initiative involves setting up mini sanitary pad production units in rural areas run by women's self-help groups.  
• These units are equipped with machines that can produce high-quality sanitary pads at a low cost. The pads are sold at affordable prices to women in the local community, thereby generating employment opportunities for women and promoting menstrual hygiene at the same time.  
• The project is a part of the broader Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Mission) launched by the Indian government in 2014 to improve sanitation and hygiene in the country. 

Nari Portal 

• Nari Portal is an initiative of the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India. 
• It is a centralized online platform that provides women with a range of information and services related to women's welfare and empowerment. 
• The portal is designed to cater to the diverse needs of women across various sections of society, including rural and urban areas. 
• The portal provides information on government schemes, policies, and programs related to women's development and empowerment, including details on eligibility criteria, application procedures, and benefits. 

• The portal also has a directory of service providers and support organizations that can assist women in accessing various services and resources. 
• In addition, the portal provides a platform for women to share their stories, experiences, and opinions through blogs, discussion forums, and other interactive features. 
• The portal has a user-friendly interface and is available in both English and Hindi. 
• It is a step towards promoting digital literacy among women and empowering them through access to information and services. 

e-Samvad Portal 

Here are the key points about the e-Samvad Portal: 

• e-Samvad Portal is an online grievance redressal platform launched by the Government of India. 
• The portal was launched in 2014 by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG). 
• The objective of the portal is to provide a platform for citizens to register their grievances and provide feedback on the government's services. 
• The portal is available in both English and Hindi languages. 
• Citizens can register their grievances by selecting the concerned ministry or department and filling in the required details. 
• The portal has a unique grievance ID that is provided to the citizens upon registering a complaint, which they can use to track the status of their grievance. 
• The portal has a dashboard that displays the number of grievances received, resolved, and pending. 
• The portal also has a section for citizens to provide feedback on the government's services and suggest improvements. 
• The portal has integrated social media platforms to enable citizens to share their grievances and feedback on social media. 
• The portal has been successful in addressing thousands of grievances and improving the government's service delivery.