One of the most widespread threats women and girls face is violence concerning gender issues that are not bounded by geographical, cultural, or socioeconomic walls but have touched one in three women worldwide. In India, this crisis assumes a peculiar character, such as in informal urban settlements where women are more vulnerable. The combined impact of the social structure and cultural attitudes leads to various forms of violence –physical, sexual, and emotional- in both public life as well as in their domestic spaces. Though widespread, this violence remains a hush-hush issue that is rarely spoken of, let alone reported.
The public systems, such as the health providers and police, that are supposed to be safeguards of trust and help fail in many ways when it comes to dealing with gender-based violence. Here, the role of organizations such as Sneha Mumbai becomes crucial as Women’s Rights activists. The actions performed by Sneha Mumbai will prove to be a shining light of hope for an untold number of women and girls in India who grapple with this silent catastrophe head-on through multi-faceted approaches.
Table of Content
Women’s Rights In India | Sneha Mumbai
The Alarming Statistics in India
The Taboo of Violence and the Role of Public Systems
The Need of Systemic Change for Women’s Rights
Sneha Mumbai’s Multifaceted Approach
Institutional Training and Sensitization
Impact and Reach of Sneha Mumbai
Counseling and Psycho-social Support
Training of Healthcare Professionals
Reduction in Violence and Distress Levels
Policy Advocacy and Implementation
The Alarming Statistics in India
In India, the statistics are startling. 32% of ever-married women have reported experiencing partner violence, yet only 14% of those affected seek help. Even among never-married women, 13% report facing partner violence. These figures highlight a dire need for effective intervention.
The Taboo of Violence and the Role of Public Systems
It is difficult to speak about violence towards women because it seems that the issue is shrouded in grudging silence most of the time. Public systems such as healthcare service providers and the police are usually the primary sources for reaching out but may not possess adequate measures to deal with GBV.
The Need of Systemic Change for Women’s Rights
- Training and Sensitization: Training and sensitization of healthcare givers, police officials, and legal professionals is a must. The training should emphasize the nature of gender-based violence, legal responsibilities, and a patient approach to treating the victim.
- Community Involvement: This silence might be broken by actively involving the leaders and members of communities in discussions about violence against women. Community-based interventions can be successful in changing attitudes toward and encouraging women to seek assistance.
- Policy and Advocacy: Advocacy for stronger policies and their effective implementation is crucial. This includes not only laws protecting women from violence but also policies that address underlying issues such as gender inequality and education.
Sneha Mumbai’s Multifaceted Approach
Sneha Mumbai women’s rights program is aimed at the prevention and response to violence across all levels of society by promoting gender-transformative change that focuses on women.
Individual-Level Intervention
In Mumbai, the organization has five key crisis centers and four public hospital women’s outpatient departments. These locations provide short and long-term counseling services to survivors, helping them access medical, legal, and police assistance.
Community Empowerment
The local group of Women’s Right volunteers are given authority by the organization to keep an eye on safety as well as offer moral and psychological support in the community. These volunteers have an important role in connecting women to crisis intervention services.
Institutional Training and Sensitization
Sneha Mumbai also pays attention to training and sensitizing staff working in these institutions. It means that this includes policemen, medical staff in municipal hospitals, and lawyers who work for legal aid charities addressing violent cases more efficiently.
Advocacy for Public Policy
Policy-wise, Sneha Mumbai champions public health policies that enhance operational responses to incidents of domestic violence. This entails incorporating key acts such as the ‘Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005’ and the ‘Protection Bill against Sexual for Children in India, 2012.
Impact and Reach of Sneha Mumbai
At any rate, Sneha Mumbai’s initiative in fighting VAWI has left a mark that offers hope and makes significant strides towards change for the communities they serve. This section, however, digs deeper into the specific results of their initiatives as well as their broader application.
Counseling and Psycho-social Support
- Survivors Counseled: Through the 2021 to Year psycho-social counselling, Sneha Mumbai aided approximately twenty-eight thousand and two hundred thirty-seven survivors of violence with counseling. This support is important because it assists survivors in healing from trauma and reestablishing their lives while regaining self-respectedness.
- Advanced Mental Health Counseling: Sneha Mumbai’s advanced mental health counseling also ventures further along the depth of psychological trauma caused by violence. This specialized form of support often plays an important role in long-term recovery and mental health.
Training of Healthcare Professionals
- Municipal Hospital Staff Training: Sneha Mumbai trained 12,843 municipal hospital staff members from 2016 to 2023 to ensure that healthcare professionals have the skills and sensitivity to support survivors effectively and to make sure that survivors receive the compassionate and appropriate care they need.
- Enhanced Response to Violence: The training has led to an enhanced response to cases of violence within healthcare settings, bridging gaps in support and care for survivors.
Reduction in Violence and Distress Levels
- Positive Outcomes for Survivors: Incredibly, 87 percent of survivors who sought counseling services through Sneha Mumbai between the years 2016 and 2023 reported a reduction in violence and distress levels. The statistics can also be attributed to the success of their interventions in alleviating suffering and improving life among survivors.
- Empowerment and Safety: The reported reduction in violence and distress also indicates an increase in the empowerment and safety of women in the communities served, showcasing the transformative impact of Sneha Mumbai’s work.
Policy Advocacy and Implementation
- Influencing Public Policy: Sneha Mumbai Women’s Rights advocacy efforts have improved institutional response to domestic violence. Their work contributes to a broader societal change as it supports the effective execution of vital legal rights.
- Legal Framework Strengthening: Through lobbying for the passage of the Protection against Domestic Violence Act, 2005, and the Protection from Sexual Offences Bill, 2012, in India, Sneha Mumbai has made a contribution toward strengthening the legal framework that shields women and children.
Also Read:- Community Health Workers- change agents and mobilisers
Conclusion
Sneha Mumbai is not merely an intervention account but the story of defiance and strength of women. Through a holistic approach, focusing on individual, community, institutional, and policy levels, Sneha Mumbai has developed an empowerment model of change. The large influence of their work, proved by the counseling to numerous survivors and training a lot of healthcare personalities, is one more step towards breaking a fight for life violence.
However, the journey ahead would require constant hard work and collaborative efforts. It requires further attention, awareness, and advocacy in order to make certain that women’s rights are respected and vigorously defended. Looking back at the progress that was made by Sneha Mumbai, we can see that women’s rights in India are always to be fought for. It is a fight that requires our attention, dedication, and unwavering support so that every woman or girl may have the chance to lead violence-free lives living with dignity and respect.
