Women Empowerment through Collective Action

The real example of CAC & GAD.

Acharya Ramamurti is a 91 year old Gandhian who has been heading Shramabharati, a non-profit group in Bihar focused on rural development and realizing a self sustaining non violent social order.

After the government enacted the mandatory reservation of 30% of the panchayat seats for women, Bihar saw some 45,000 women elected to its village and district councils. Due to socio-cultural reasons like illiteracy and gender inequity, many of these women were ill equipped to do justice to the elected positions – they remained disempowered in positions of power.

Acharya Ramamurti began to invite these women to week long sessions to situate them better to discharge their duties. These groups of women were trained in leadership skills, conflict resolution and prevention.