Urmi - A wave of change
The state of Odisha has been pioneering in women’s empowerment in recent years. Under the flagship Mission Shakti program, it has encompassed 70 lakh rural women; under the Self Help Group. It has reserved 50% of seats for women in local panchayat bodies; financial support is provided to pregnant and lactating women under the Mamata Scheme and many other government schemes. Despite all noble intentions, various studies indicate that the share of women in victims of violence, poverty line, illiteracy, and other forms of deprivation is high compared to their male counterparts.
Launched by Atmashakti Trust in partnership with Odisha Shramajeebee Manch and Shramajeebee Mancha Odisha, URMI focuses on empowering women by amplifying their voices in policy discussions.
We at Atmashakti Trust, Odisha Shramajeebee Manch, and Mahila Shramajeebee Mancha Odisha believe that women in rural areas face comparative deprivation as their voices are not heard. The women in rural Odisha have been vocal but there is a lack of enabling conditions for their narratives. The well-intended policies are not befitting the most need as we lack a bridge between the policymakers and community. The policymakers need to be updated on a real-time basis from the beneficiaries. Greater and solid accountability has to be demanded from grassroots people themselves. For this nothing better than trained enthusiastic women from different walks of life coming together to make the change happen. Thus the idea of URMI was generated. In this initiative, we have selected 29 women from 15 blocks of 9 districts through a rigorous process. They will be trained on legal, and policy aspects of women, and their skills will be sharpened with a collective approach from various civil society organizations in the state.
The URMI initiative seeks to transform the socio-economic landscape for rural women in Odisha by equipping them with knowledge, skills, and a platform for advocacy. By enabling their participation in policy discussions, the initiative aims to promote gender equality and improve women’s living conditions throughout the region.
We at Atmashakti Trust, Odisha Shramajeebee Manch, and Mahila Shramajeebee Mancha Odisha believe that women in rural areas face comparative deprivation as their voices are not heard. The women in rural Odisha have been vocal but there is a lack of enabling conditions for their narratives. The well-intended policies are not befitting the most need as we lack a bridge between the policymakers and community. The policymakers need to be updated on a real-time basis from the beneficiaries. Greater and solid accountability has to be demanded from grassroots people themselves. For this nothing better than trained enthusiastic women from different walks of life coming together to make the change happen. Thus the idea of URMI was generated. In this initiative, we have selected 29 women from 15 blocks of 9 districts through a rigorous process. They will be trained on legal, and policy aspects of women, and their skills will be sharpened with a collective approach from various civil society organizations in the state.
The URMI initiative seeks to transform the socio-economic landscape for rural women in Odisha by equipping them with knowledge, skills, and a platform for advocacy. By enabling their participation in policy discussions, the initiative aims to promote gender equality and improve women’s living conditions throughout the region.