It Works When Women Speak In Unison

How an anganwadi centre came up in Chittorgarh’s Arania village

- Usha Rai

It did not happen overnight, it required a long struggle. But today, the village women of Rajasthan are empowered enough to speak up for their rights, participate in gram sabha meetings and put their proposals before panchayats.

Now, they are also the proud beneficiaries of an Anganwadi centre at Arania village in Chittorgarh district of Rajasthan, where pregnant women and toddlers get their quota of nutritious food and childcare facilities.

“It was after a three-year-long struggle that we were able to get this centre,” says Munnibai, the Anganwadi worker who looks after 20 children. What began as the SUMARajasthan White Ribbon Alliance five-year project (2013-2017) to ensure the United Nations sustainable development goal-3 of healthy lives of all ages and reduce global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 1,00,000 live births by 2030, is showing results — with accessible infrastructure like Anganwadis, sub-centers and primary health centers (PHC) coming up in places selected by the community.

“Policies and programs need to listen to voices of women, the rights holders,” says Smita Bajpai of the Ahmedabad-based voluntary organization CHETNA, which spearheaded the SUMA (Surakshit Matritva Gathbandhan) team of 100 listed individuals and organizational members working in 13 districts of Rajasthan.

The country’s National Health Policy of 2017 aims to reduce maternal mortality to 100 by 2020 and Rajasthan’s MMR estimates stood at 244 per 1,00,000 live births as per sample registration system 20112013. “We advocated for a continuum of quality care and promoted social accountability,” says Bajpai.