Women Empowerment
Women’s Empowerment & Self Governance
Overview
The average living condition of women living in rural southern Rajasthan is very poor. Poverty, particularly among women, results in powerlessness and a lack of representation, and freedom in society. Since its inception, Mahan Seva Sansthan has recognized that the socio-economic and cultural status of women in the area frequently dehumanizes them, reflected by the fact that the female population of India experiences a disproportionate amount of suffering. Because of this, MSS has made women’s empowerment one of their top priority issues as they tackle sustainable development in rural Rajasthan.
Strategy
MSS believes that there are three pillars to women’s empowerment: participation in the community, personal security and a positive self-image. Only by establishing all three pillars, as each Mahan program 
works to do, can women’s empowerment become a sustainable movement. In order to empower women, MSS focuses on training women as capable community leaders while promoting their role in the process of local self governance.
Tactics
Providing services to the poor, particularly needy women, in tandem with the communities, fellow service providers and local self government (the Panchayat), to insure sustainable growth
Creating awareness among poor rural communities about government entitlement programs created to assist them
Informing the villagers about the quality of service they should receive and teaching them how to register complaints if that level of quality is not provided
Educating service providers about the needs and aspirations of the poor so that they are more responsive to them, rather than viewing them as passive recipients of charity
Organizing marginalized individuals into groups so that they can use their collective voice to demand a redress to their problems
Interventions
The following programs are supported by Mahan Seva Sansthan under the Women’s Empowerment and Self Governance branch of the organization.
Abuse of Women’s Rights
Microenterprise: Self-Help Groups (SHGs) are prime platform for social mobilization of women and creating awareness about legal and political rights. Mahan Seva Sansthan promotes formation and execution of SHGs to incorporate educational and awareness programs. SHGs help women to know themselves and their children and understand the society as a whole. SHGs enables education and exposure of women on the issues concerning them, it also enables inter-loaning and saving. SHG members organize and participate in monthly meetings and discuss about health, sanitation and well being of pregnant mothers and children of 0-6 years, livelihood generation through agricultural products and forest products. Presently 99 Self Help Groups (SHG) are successfully running independently, they maintain their own records and undertake all respective dealings.
Gender Issue
Gender Equality Awareness: Gender based discrimination in our work areas is common place and structuralized throughout society. While the Indian government has passed many laws banning gender discrimination and promoting women’s rights, in order to see real change the mindset of the people must change. MSS conducts workshops in villages educating people about why Gender Issue is wrong and demonstrating how both men and women have a great deal to offer society. Most importantly, MSS emphasizes the importance of sending girls to school as well as boys; because, only with education can we hope to see a shift in mindsets towards women.
Lack of Voting Rights Awareness
Voter Awareness Campaign (Panchayat Election): India’s 73rd constitutional amendment, enacted in 1992, established the Panchayati Raj system, a form of self governance. While most Indians are aware of the system, Mahan Seva Sansthan works to inculcate a sense of responsibility about voting in Panchayat elections. Since beginning training, the areas where MSS works have seen an increase in voter turnout from 77% to 95%.
Results
Programmes supported by us under Women Empowerment
