On August 27th, 2022, Non-Profit Shakti Shalini celebrated 35 years of working with survivors of domestic abuse, providing shelter, legal advice and rehabilitation. The NGO also empowers women from marginalised communities with skills to combat gender-based violence as well through vocational training, art and more.
I had the chance to hear some of the survivor stories in person that were interwoven through the cultural program organised at the BC Pal Auditorium in Chitranjan Park by NGO Shakti Shalini on the evening of the 27th, recently. The survivors are mostly between their early twenties or thirties. Some shared their saga through a creative storytelling format or dance drama (with the help of the pandies’ theatre group ), others through their poem or artwork. It was an emotionally charged event both for the performers as well as the audience. The underlying common thread was a breach of individual dignity which played itself out either through an extreme act of violence or a continuous abuse in relationships.
THE FOUNDING STORY
In the 1980s, Satyarani Chadha and Shahjahan Begum, two women found their daughters subjected to death by burning by their respective in-laws on the pretext of insufficient dowry. The violent loss of their daughters galvanized them to tell their story to everyone: the media, the courtroom, and the public. They committed to joining, hands and dedicating their lives to fighting gender/ sexual violence, especially domestic and dowry violence. In 1987 they established Shakti Shalini and it became a pioneer of grassroots gender equality work in India.
In 1975, the United Nations General Assembly adopted 1975-1985 as the decade for women. The global context of a feminist wave across the 1970s and 80s channelised international support and commendation toward the organisation. This was the context in which Shakti Shalini was born.
Through its early years, Shakti Shalini played a pioneering role in campaigning for anti-dowry and domestic violence laws currently prevailing on the land and it established the first shelter home for women in distress in Delhi. Through its journey full of challenges and breakthroughs alike, Shakti Shalini has strived to support countless individuals in navigating violence and discrimination toward a life of safety, freedom, and dignity.
Shakti Shalini’s Helpline numbers for Gender/Sexual violence survivors are as follows
011-24373737
Whatsapp or call 7838957810
Whatsapp or call 9654462722
Post Script
We are on a mission to Stand up for what is Right. Travelling across conducting the session on Combating Violence against Women with the youth of the country. The sessions are being facilitated by TVS Radar as their marketing outreach and are being organised by JOSH TALKS with Suparnaa Chadda as the speaker conducting these sessions.
To read about the Kolkatta Chapter click here>>
To read about the Kanpur Chapter click here>>
To read about the Purnea, Bihar Chapter click here>>
To read about the Pune experience click here>>
To know more about the online session experience read here >>
PS: if you work in the focus area of gender equity – team SABERA (Annual Awards and Summit by the Simply Suparnaa © Media Network) jury is looking for you Register here and submit criteria based information under the Initiative Category A6: लैंगिक समानता (Gender Diversity & Inclusion)
