Women help themselves and their communities

Women in dozens of remote villages of Pali and Pratapgarh districts of Rajasthan have initiated a series of changes that contribute in significant ways not just to their increasing economic security but also to significant social reforms.

- BHARAT DOGRA

A remarkable aspect of these changes has been the ability of the women to go much beyond relatively narrower economic goals towards mobilizing for wider social tasks.

In the case of the Garasia tribal women in Bali block of Pali district, for instance, the initial aim of self-help groups (linked now to Ghoomar Mahila Samiti) to increase savings and reduce dependence on moneylenders was achieved well. However, whenever the groups met to discuss issues relating to savings and loans, they invariably talked of other problems affecting them.

In discussions, the issue of distress caused to families by increasing alcoholism was highlighted.

On the one hand, women were struggling hard to increase savings in self-help groups, but on the other, hard-earned savings were being used to buy alcohol due to the proliferation of illegal as well as legal liquor selling points connected to powerful people in the area.

The availability of alcohol close to home in remote villages was an important factor driving the consumption of liquor as well as increasing addiction to it.

Women were distressed by denial of food and education to children resulting from this but when they tried to check this in their households, it often resulted in domestic violence.

Solutions, women realized, must be found at the social level.

After careful planning, they took out a march of about 2,000 women covering most of the area over which these villages are spread, in the process also smashing up several illegal liquor joints or bhattis.