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Maharashtra Mahila Parishad

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History and Background of the Maharashtra Mahila Parishad:

Maharashtra Mahila Parishad is an Organisation working in the field of women empowerment is an outcome of Women’s movement of the 1990s. At that times, this movement was divided in different ideologies. In India also, this movement was fragmented.  In 1994, Maharashtra government has come up with the Policy for women. Some of the organisation took this policy hand to hand but many organisation criticise this at the execution level. One such organisation was Aanganwadi worker union who was also fighting to ensure the rights of Aanganwadi workers through this policy. Maharashtra Mahila Parishad was founded by the leaders of that movement to ensure the rights of women of marginalised section of the society at the every level of society. It was founded by the Advocate Bharti Sharma with two other members
Maharashtra Mahila Parishad was actively working in direction of women empowerment since 1990 but it got affiliation as NGO in 1996. Earlier it was the Basti based organisation which was working in basti’s of Navi Mumbai. Later on, they have extended their working area in Chembur and Mumbra also. In starting period, it was financially supported by the Red Union who had provided land for the office of an NGO. Apart from this other financial needs were met by the crowd funding and funds by the political parties. Other organisation named “Navjeevan Samiti” had also supported Maharashtra Mahila Parishad for first 10 years.

The structure of the Maharashtra Mahila Parishad:

Maharashtra Mahila Parishad is Umbrella organisation under which it has three main departments to deal with the various problems oriented to women.
1)      Family counselling centre.
2)      Prerna Navinyapurna Mahila Sahkari Sanstha
3)      Parasparavlmbi Mahila Gat

Family Counselling Centre:

Family Counselling Centre mainly deals with the family-centric problems. It tries to resolve the family disputes at their level. Its major job is of counselling of family. It does counselling in cases of domestic violence, sexual violence and other types of challenged by women.

Prerna Navinyapurna Mahila Sahkari Sanstha:

Prerna is most important part of this organisation. It involves the forming of Self-help groups of women. Currently, there are almost 300 self-help groups functioning under Prerna across their working area.  This self-help group consist of 20-25 members. These groups save their monthly savings with the Prerna organisation on which they get considerable interest also. In any emergency, a group member can ask for loans also. This loans members get at the rate 2% only which is deductible in nature.
An objective of the Prerna:
  • ·        For the financial stability of women
  • ·       To avoid the exploitation by traditional money lenders who give loans with a very high-interest  rate.
  • ·       To spread the awareness among the women about their rights.
  • ·       It acts as a platform for the women from marginalised section of the society to discuss and share their personal problems and other issues.
  • ·        This organisation is proved to be a bridge between women of Hindu-Muslim community.

Activities by Maharashtra Mahila Parishad :

This organisation conducts activities which have impact on societies. This activity includes street plays, campaign, group songs related to social evils like Child marriage, female foeticide, child labour etc. SHG group member also participated actively in these activities. Also, they have monthly discussion forum among SHG women regarding various national issues and current affairs. They had also conducted the camp for the personality development of children. Earlier they had also tried men based approach for the betterment of situation of women in household condition by conducting seminars with the men. 

The significance of Maharashtra Mahila Parishad in Mumbra Region 

Mumbra is not placed in proper Mumbai, it resides in outskirts of Mumbai. Most of the people living in Mumbra region are the migrant and belongs to the poor section of the society who was settled here during communal riots between Hindu and Muslim. So, there is always the danger of communal tension in this area. So, Maharashtra Mahila Parishad is playing a vital role to bring harmony in this environment of communal tension. Earlier there were no SHG from the muslim community but now women from the muslim community are also actively participating in the formation of SHGs. Women from both the communities are coming together on the same platform discussing and sharing their issues and happiness. Talking from the perspective of women, earlier women were struggling for their voice in the household but this platform is giving them the confidence to have say in their houses. As women are able to take loans for the family in needed situation, she is gaining importance in decision-making process of the family.

Challenges Faced by Maharashtra Mahila Parishad:

There are many obstacles faced by the organisation at the society level and also at the execution level.
  • ·   One of the major problems is to maintain harmony and bring these people from the different community at the same platform because their many prejudices attached to the every community which results in hatred towards each other.
  • ·   Sometimes family does not support women going in the Organisation and participating in campaign and discussion.
  • ·     As a result of discussion in the organisation when women try to get their rights in the household, family restrict her from going to the organisation.
  • ·        Political Parties tries to hijack work done by the organisation.
  • ·      Multiple lending is one of the major issue organisation is facing in which SHG group member take loans on the same assets from more than one stakeholder.
  • ·      Some private SHGs do not repay the loan at the due date and hence due to this damaged rapport banks sometimes avoid to give loans to the Maharashtra Mahila Parishad also.

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