Women are the most affected group which can be reflected in indicators such as low literacy rate, a significant gender gap in primary education, high prevalence of a number of forms of violence against them, and lack of access to financial resources. Worsening environmental conditions and the absence of basic services deprive these women from healthy and productive lives. A large number of girls and women are deprived of exercising their right because of social and cultural traditions, norms, beliefs and practices, and economic constraints.
It is such background factors that make women to be one of the vulnerable groups that need to be strengthened. In spite of the hurdles they face women have to perform most of the domestic work, besides working in the fields (rural areas) and pursuing a career (urban areas).
Cooperative Outreach of India actively seeks opportunities to engage women is these communities throughout North India. Indian women are the foundation of the home and work hard to keep the family together and fulfilled even when there might not be enough in the home to do that physically! We desire to empower these women through education, self-help groups, loan management, and community gatherings with other local women. Through these activities we have seen a growth in our women’s confidence, character, and ability to provide for their families.