Source: CCTV.com

02-09-2007 18:50

Women constitute approximately 48 percent of the Indian population. But their socio-economic status lags behind that of men. The majority of women are engaged in sectors that are marked by low productivity, minimum incomes and low skill levels. In today's Working Asia Series, Raman Hitkari from Doordashan News in India reports on ordinary Indian women, who are banding together to create a women's self-help group that will benefit over 1,000 Indian women.

This is the real situation of Indian women workers despite the fact that they work twice as many hours as men do. Women in India like any other developing nation look after their household chores apart from working for their livelihood.

But with the advent of governmental and non-governmental agencies, things are gradually changing. Women are now becoming conscious of their rights. They are forming self help groups to improve their socio-economic positions.

One such commendable effort is taken by a village woman named Phulbasin Bai in Sukul daihan village in Rajnand gaon district of Chattisgarh state. Married at 14 and a mother at 15, Phulbasin’s success has not come easy.

"We were in a joint family. Our economic condition was very bad. After ninth year of my marriage, I thought to do something. I decided to organize women. The first step I took was to sensitize them against the social evil of child marriage. Because I was a victim of that." Phulbasin said.

It was 2001 the phulbasin decided to organize women. Together they launched a small bank through micro savings to extend small loans among group members. They also started re-investing remaining money in profitable economic ventures and decided to keep middle men away from their economic activities.

Phulbasin said "Initially women are hesitant to savings. We decided to save around 20 rupees a month from our daily expenses. Gradually we could increase our savings to hundred thousand rupees. I am still pursuing women to come forward by joining self-help groups. I also train them to ride bicycle."

The success journey of Phulbasin started on a bicycle has now enlisted support of more than 1000 women, who are now proud members of her bicycle club. Earlier the men in village would frown upon it, but now they have realized and accepted the change. Women riding bicycle in an India village was itself a beginning of social change.

A group member said "Earlier we had a lot of problems from our husbands and middlemen. Now after we joined phulbasin, men in our village are scared of us. "

In her village Phulbasin now runs a campaign against illiteracy. She is also running mid day meal scheme, handles several health programmes. It may be true that outside her state, no one would recognize her, but in Rajnandgaon Phulbasin is the woman women in need turn to.

That is a very strong-minded and determined woman. Well, in tomorrow's Working Asia Series, women in Pakistan are also struggling to achieve an equal status and a better life. Please join us tomorrow for this next report in our series.

 

Editor:Du Xiaodan