By Tanpreet Kaur Lamba

India has made some progress in addressing gender inequality, but much remains to be done. Women, who make up 48.2% of the country’s population—about 709 million people—still face many challenges, including eliminating discriminatory laws and creating legal frameworks that promote gender equality.

In the face of this, Jesuit-run Lok Manch, a Canadian Jesuits International partner, works to dismantle systemic barriers to inequality. Supported by over 100 organizations across 16 states, Lok Manch is a community-driven platform that focuses on empowering marginalized communities, especially women.

Lok Manch prioritizes gender equality, aiming for a 50-50 gender balance in all its programs to address the challenges facing women in India. Recent UN Women data shows that 23.3% of Indian women aged 20-24 were married or in a union before 18, hindering their access to education, jobs, and a better life. Women make up just 31.2% of the labour force, mostly in informal jobs without social protection, and face limited access to assets like land.

Violence against women remains widespread in India. About 35% of women and girls ages 15-49 have experienced intimate partner violence, higher than the world average of 27%, according to the World Bank’s gender data.

Gender disparities persist in political representation, with women holding only 14.7% of parliamentary seats as of February 2024, reflecting slow progress in achieving equal participation in government decision-making.

Lok Manch is empowering women, who make up 54% of India's impoverished population, through microfinance, skills workshops, and training programs to help them build sustainable livelihoods.

Women's self-help groups work together to provide small loans that enable women to start their own businesses and become financially independent. Lok Manch recognizes that economic empowerment helps break the cycle of poverty and promotes women's financial independence.

Lok Manch's programs educate women about their rights and the resources available to them, helping them make informed decisions about their lives. In underprivileged areas, Lok Manch works to improve access to safe drinking water, and basic hygiene facilities, improving women's health and dignity.

By promoting equal access to quality education, Lok Manch helps bridge the gender gap in educational opportunities. Lok Manch operates community-based schools, anganwadis (rural childcare), and learning centers.

Women who have participated in training programs report higher levels of confidence and independence. Today, they advocate for gender equality, inspire others, and assume leadership roles, creating a ripple effect of empowerment and change.

Tanpreet Kaur Lamba is the documentation and communication officer of Lok Manch.