Rashtriya Stree Sabha

Rashtriya Stree Sabha
Name	Rashtriya Stree Sabha
Formation	1990s
Headquarters	New Delhi
Type	Non-governmental organization
Purpose	Women's advocacy
Region served	India
Leader title	President

Rashtriya Stree Sabha is an Indian women's advocacy organization active in social welfare, legal aid, and policy lobbying. The organization engages with institutions such as the Supreme Court of India, the National Commission for Women, the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the Election Commission of India and state bodies like the Delhi Legislative Assembly, Kerala Legislative Assembly, and West Bengal Legislative Assembly. It operates alongside civil society actors including All India Women’s Conference, National Federation of Indian Women, Self-Employed Women's Association, SEWA, and groups linked with United Nations Women and UNICEF.

Introduction

Rashtriya Stree Sabha positions itself within a network that includes Indian National Congress-era activists, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar-influenced legal reformers, and post-independence feminist movements associated with figures like Aruna Roy, Medha Patkar, Kailash Satyarthi, Kiran Bedi, and Shabana Azmi. It claims engagement with legislative reforms such as the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 and interacts with commissions like the National Human Rights Commission of India and courts including the High Court of Delhi and the Bombay High Court.

History and Founding

Founded in the 1990s amid liberalization debates involving the Economic Liberalisation in India (1991), Rashtriya Stree Sabha emerged from linkages among activists associated with movements such as the Chipko Movement, the Narmada Bachao Andolan, and the Right to Information movement. Founders reportedly drew inspiration from leaders like E. V. Ramasamy, Jayaben Desai, Manmohan Singh-era policy shifts, and transnational networks involving Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Oxfam. Early activities intersected with litigation in the Supreme Court of India and campaigns around landmark cases like those heard in the Kerala High Court and activism that paralleled efforts by Lal Krishna Advani's critics and reformers connected to Prakash Karat and P. Chidambaram.

Mission and Objectives

The stated mission emphasizes legal empowerment, public interest litigation, and socio-economic rights linked to programs coordinated with the Ministry of Home Affairs, NITI Aayog, and municipal bodies such as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. Objectives include policy advocacy mirroring campaigns by Women's Reservation Bill proponents, rights awareness similar to Right to Information Act, 2005 advocacy, and collaboration with research institutions including Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Banaras Hindu University, Indian Statistical Institute, and international partners like Harvard University, University of Oxford, and London School of Economics.

Organizational Structure and Leadership

The Sabha is structured with national, state, and local chapters interacting with entities such as the Registrar of Societies, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, and district administrations. Leadership includes roles comparable to presidents who liaise with figures from the Parliament of India and committees that include activists with histories connected to Anna Hazare, Arvind Kejriwal, Kanhaiya Kumar, Sonia Gandhi, and legal advisers who have worked in the Supreme Court of India and the Bar Council of India. It operates advisory boards with academics from institutions like IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, and think tanks such as Observer Research Foundation and Centre for Policy Research.

Programs and Activities

Programs encompass legal aid clinics modelled after services run by Legal Aid Services Authorities, community health initiatives akin to National Rural Health Mission partnerships, vocational training similar to Skill India schemes, and awareness campaigns coordinated with National AIDS Control Organisation and education drives paralleling Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. The Sabha has organized public hearings resembling Lok Adalat formats, supported litigation in forums up to the Supreme Court of India, and held conferences featuring speakers from UN Women, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and Indian ministries such as the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

Impact and Reception

Rashtriya Stree Sabha's interventions have been cited in policy discussions within the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha and referenced by NGOs such as BRAC, Pratham, Teach For India, and research by Centre for Science and Environment. Media coverage spans outlets including The Hindu, Times of India, Indian Express, BBC News, and Al Jazeera, with recognition from awards like the Nari Shakti Puraskar invoked in commentary. Academic appraisal has appeared in journals connected to JNU and TISS researchers, while critiques have come from commentators linked with Bharatiya Janata Party, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, and conservative scholars at Jawaharlal Nehru University.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding sources reportedly include grants from international foundations like Ford Foundation, Open Society Foundations, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, bilateral agencies such as United States Agency for International Development, UKaid, and partnerships with corporations under Corporate Social Responsibility frameworks involving firms like Tata Group, Reliance Industries, and Mahindra Group. Collaborative projects have involved state partnerships with Kerala Government, Tamil Nadu Government, and municipal bodies as well as institutional MOUs with AIIMS, ICMR, and academic centers at IIT Delhi and IIT Bombay.

Criticism and Controversies

Criticism has included allegations from political actors in Bharatiya Janata Party circles and debates in outlets such as Outlook India and Frontline about foreign funding regulations under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010. Controversies have echoed disputes similar to those involving NGO Regulation debates, legal challenges comparable to petitions before the Supreme Court of India, and media scrutiny akin to cases involving Commonwealth Games controversy-era reporting. Some analysts from Doordarshan and Press Trust of India have questioned effectiveness relative to other organizations like SEWA and All India Women's Conference.

Category:Women's organisations based in India