Gender

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Women in rural Uttar Pradesh declare war on skin infections

Through the community village clinics they have established, women collectives in parts of rural Uttar Pradesh have started campaigning successfully against fungal infections that affect the quality of their lives

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Kantha embroidery empowers women in rural Bengal

A single woman’s journey to earn a dignified livelihood has today evolved into a revival of the traditional Kantha embroidery that has led to empowerment of rural women in West Bengal

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Manipuri women revive village republics for all-round development

Despite dwindling forest resources that had traditionally sustained them, villagers in Churachandpur district of Manipur have successfully shifted to growing new crops, and are now exploring new livelihood options

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Can managing electricity access empower women in rural India?

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Even as India provides electricity to all villages, it is important to reflect on how electrification affects men and women in different ways, and the opportunities that decentralized energy access creates for sustainable gender-balanced development

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An ancient art is earning modern dividends in Khasi Hills

From being one of the poorest areas of Meghalaya, Umden in Ri Bhoi has emerged as the epicenter of ethical sericulture and Eri silk weaving, thanks to the persistence of women practicing the traditional art

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Goats and poultry help tribal women turnaround impoverished lives

Poverty-stricken women in the semi-arid regions of West Bengal and Jharkhand, used to subsisting on meager incomes, have defied huge odds and transformed their lives by rearing goats and poultry

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Dharmapuri has forgotten the many names for rain

Rising temperatures and erratic rainfall in the drought-prone dry land farms of Dharmapuri in Tamil Nadu is making rain-fed agriculture non-viable but some women farmers are adapting by growing millets

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Saran women banish poverty by cultivating vegetables

Switching from traditional rain-fed crops such as rice and wheat to growing vegetables through the year, women farmers of Saran district in Bihar have ensured financial and food security without any external assistance

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Women feel the heat of climate change in rural Manipur

Women farmers in Manipur, who play a significant role in the state's agriculture, are struggling to grow crops in an increasingly hostile environment of north-east India

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Kamrup women lead Eri silk revival for improved livelihoods

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Linking markets with traditional Eri silk weavers in many parts of Assam, non-profit organization Grameen Sahara has enabled thousands of village women to boost their household incomes

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A voice against abuse and exploitation

Standing against forced marriages in the old city of Hyderabad, Shaheen has emerged as a space for women of minority and oppressed communities to empower themselves

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Purulia’s nachaniyas still dance to escape destitution

Exploited by their so-called masters, the folk dancers of rural Bengal have no option but to keep dancing and entertaining to escape poverty and destitution, shunned by society and with no help from the government

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Pad women of Assam start menstrual hygiene movement

Young women have brought about a change in the mindset of rural men and women in Assam about menstrual hygiene and steered the women towards better hygiene with reusable cloth pads

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Community radio creates waves of change in Karnataka villages

Run primarily by women, the Sarathi Jhalak radio station has brought administrators, experts and villagers on the same platform, giving rural communities a voice

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Snow leopard conservation brings socioeconomic benefits to Rumbak village

A remote hamlet in Leh’s high altitude Hemis National Park constantly loses its livestock to snow leopards, but have turned to homestays around conservation tourism, reaping rich rewards

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Salem marriages bane of Malabar girls due to dowry problem

Caught in an unenviable situation where dowry demands are unreasonably high due to increased inflow of money from gulf jobs, girls in rural Malabar are virtually compelled into unequal marriages, often with disturbing consequences

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Solapur farmers turn lives around with crop diversification

With recurrent droughts, landowning marginal farmers of Solapur in Maharashtra were forced to work as wage laborers till they switched from cash crops to horticulture and millets for an economic turnaround

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Kanas villagers make water safe through simple interventions

Water from ponds and tube wells made safe for consumption through simple and easy to maintain solutions have reduced water-borne diseases in coastal Odisha and has enabled village women to utilize the saved time more productively

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Cooking imposes heavy burden on rural women

The simple act of cooking takes on a difficult dimension due to lack of easy access to fuel and water, forcing women in rural India to walk long distances to get them, increasing drudgery and leading to health hazards that call for immediate action

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Woman mason rebuilds life after devastation of Cyclone Phailin

Stepping into the exclusive male preserve of masonry, Damayanti Patra of rural Ganjam has shown exemplary determination to overcome personal tragedy and natural disaster to secure a sustainable vocation