Women's Empowerment in Indian Villages (WEIV) Programme
The Indian Government in conjunction with the World Bank is launching an India-wide Self Help Group and Rural Livelihood Programme that aims to reach 80% of the rural poor. This is a large programme, designed to take-over all established Self Help Groups and introduce comprehensive training and regional marketing strategies to up-skill the participants and consolidate the resources of the groups.

This has had significant implications for ARD’s Women’s Empowerment project, as we can no longer form new Self Help Groups or support those we have created. The majority of the groups have been migrated into the government program and the remaining groups are being facilitated to do so.

Following extensive discussions with staff and the women in the field, ARD has introduced a new program to support the women and their families in two key areas:

Reproductive and Child Health
The aim is to bring about attitudinal changes in health and well-being, as well as imparting practical information concerning all aspects of Reproductive and Child Health. WEIV staff mobilise the community to access Government programs and are on the ground to ensure that Government delivers these programs.

The Reproductive Health programme addresses contraceptive awareness, pre-natal guidance, maternal health and well-being. The programme aims to empower young, married couples to delay and space their pregnancies, to equip unmarried adolescents with appropriate information regarding sexual health and marriageable age, and to bring about improved action, demand and access to reproductive health services.

Full details of the Reproductive and Child Health Programme here

Functional Literacy
We have established eight LiteracyCentres for girls and young women 13 to 19 years of age. These are girls who have been taken out of the education system to help work on the land, or in other ways earn money for their family. They come from the poorest families and no fees will be charged.

We believe that the new programmes will meet many of the basic needs of the women and strengthen them at the grass-roots level to become respected participants in village life.

Full details of Literacy Centres here

Success Stories
Read about women whose lives have been changed by ARD programmes

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