Community Empowerment > Supporting women and children survivors of violence through resources and legal counseling, community awareness activities and legislative advocacy to create a society where women live with dignity, equality and liberty
Supporting women and children survivors of violence through resources and legal counseling, community awareness activities and legislative advocacy to create a society where women live with dignity, equality and liberty
State: Rajasthan
NGO: Bal va Mahila Chetana Samity

Summary:
Bal evam Mahila Chetana Samity (BMCS) helps women in the Bhilwara district of Rajasthan, who have been sexually assaulted, by providing them access to support and resources. Social worker Tara Ahluwalia provides immediate support for female survivors of sexual violence. In addition, they are also provide direct services such as education, legal assistance (e.g. filing the First Incidence Report with the police), case management (including finding suitable housing, communicating with community leaders), vocational training (such as sewing) and self defense.
Details:​​​​
Work
  • Countering violence from within the family: Tara & BMCS work with families to celebrate the birth of a girl child, exposing doctors performing female-foeticide, facilitate communication between daughters-in-law and mothers-in-law to reduce dowry related oppression, sensitizing men and encouraging girls’ education.
  • Workshops are conducted on gender sensitization and sexual violence in schools, colleges and villages. An annual event is conducted to publicly recognizing 10 brave women for their work advocating for themselves or other survivors.
  • Tara has been tasked by the government to draft an anti-witch hunting bill

Impact
  • ​​Several hundred cases of witch hunting registered and resolved 
  • Organized public hearing where 40 cases of violence against women were discussed with the State Commissioner, Superintendent of Police & Collector
  • Over 600 cases of violence registered and successfully resolved in collaboration with MSSK in 1.5 years
  • Rescue, rehabilitation and safe return of many sex-trafficking survivors
  • Mobilized media and community members to spread awareness about PCPNDT (Pre-Conception, Pre-Natal Diagnostics Techniques Act) act