ASIA/INDIA - Formation and awareness on rights, health, prevention of women from violence

Pune (Agenzia Fides) - In India, boys are taught to continue their family activities, while girls are trained to be "good wives and submissive." Forced to marry very soon, they have to leave their families and live with their husband’s family, in addition to having to give up the dowry that goes to the groom's family. In Indian society education, since puberty, stigmatizes women. To raise awareness on the female gender, the Spanish Catholic NGO Manos Unidas which, in this period, together with the NGO Streevani, is working in India, in the city of Pune, aims to form and raise awareness to 3500 women on their human and professional rights, on health prevention from violence and gender difference. Streevani, is an organization that defends the rights of women born 30 years ago in the city of Pune.
Its activities are oriented towards the integration of women in a patriarchal society that discriminates them, focuses primarily on providing legal support on how many make their living as servants and those who are abused by their employers. It also provides legal assistance to women's marital disputes, domestic violence and property rights. Currently, they are follwed by a group of religious women gathered in the forum of Women Religious Lawyer. The two NGOs are also providing training on entrepreneurial activities for women to start their own initiatives. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 30/04/2013)