In many parts of the world, women are discriminated and exploited. Career and self-development opportunities are denied to them. Even in the ultra-modern world, a woman is often considered as ‘property’ and not a human being with likes and dislikes of her own. She is meant to be ‘possessed’; viewed as an object of beauty and a ‘commodity’ for men’s pleasure. Women are subject to cruelty from womb to tomb. Female foeticide is justified on the ground that it helps in population control. Female infanticide is also a ground reality all over India.
Poor women, especially from backward communities and lower castes, are mostly illiterate, untrained, and have very little social and economic status. In India, there are over 350 million such people, mainly in rural areas. The unemployed are nearly 200 million people, a great majority of them belonging to these deprived sections of the society. Without meaningful skills, social status, and economic power, they are unable to support their families.
Missionaries of Compassion address the main issue of women empowerment in the missions where they serve. We propose different schemes like promotion of self-employment, savings, women education etc., which help them to liberate them from social oppression.
Our Mission of Empowering Women in the rural areas is carried out mainly through the training in vocational and income-generating skills.
These include tailoring, the use and maintenance of sewing machines, preserving and reviving crafts, embroidery and beadwork. Throughout the training in vocational skills, elementary education, awareness on health and hygiene is promoted. Some marketing skills such as simple accounting also is promoted.
Missionaries of Compassion helps also to market products at regional and national craft fairs.