Govt Partners with SAKSHI to Boost Legal Literacy for Rural Women and Combat GBV

This partnership aims to empower women within Self-Help Groups (SHGs) by providing them with critical legal knowledge and tools to combat gender-based violence.

In a major initiative to enhance legal literacy in rural India, Shri Charanjit Singh, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ms. Smita Bharti, President of SAKSHI, a non-profit organization dedicated to addressing gender-based violence through legal advocacy and support.

Shri Charanjit Singh emphasized that this collaboration will fortify the gender program under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM) by developing resources to educate women on legal protections and remedies. SAKSHI will also train local Resource Persons, further expanding the reach and effectiveness of Gender Resource Centres (GRCs) at the block level.

This partnership aims to empower women within Self-Help Groups (SHGs) by providing them with critical legal knowledge and tools to combat gender-based violence.

SAKSHI, known for its work in promoting gender equality through legal aid, education, and behaviour change initiatives, will play a key role in this effort by offering training, advocating for policy reforms, and creating educational materials to improve legal literacy among rural women.

Through this collaboration, the government and SAKSHI are working together to build a more informed and empowered rural population, particularly women, who will be better equipped to stand up for their rights and protect themselves from violence.