Women take charge

While the apathy of current politicians has driven the youth to enroll as voters in large numbers in order to make a difference this election, ordinary women are preparing to contest future elections themselves instead of relying on politicians. Some 200 women from the Chembur-Trombay slums are aiming to become leaders in their community and city who can make a difference.

Women like Aneesa Ansari (white veil) and Biju Bhosle (in printed sari) are using their literacy to make a difference in the slum communities of Chembur-Trombay

After a taste of success in the elections held for the executive committee of the 8,000-member strong Mahila Mandal Federation that operates in the slums, these women are preparing to contest the civic elections to be held in 2011. One of them is Mumtaz Sheikh (25) from Vasi Naka.

She was never allowed to step out of her house, was beaten by her husband and led a painfully suppressed life at her in-laws house. Today she is a smart outgoing woman who has divorced the man who harassed her, remarried and settled in the same area.

This year she walked down the streets campaigning for elections to the executive committee of the 9,000 member strong Mahila Mandal Federation that operates in the slums and what’s more — got elected. She had joined CORO as a volunteer and is today a mentor for the women undergoing leadership training. How did this happen?

It all began when the women from the slums learnt to read and write and move out of their homes. CORO (Committee of Resource Organisations for literacy) an NGO spreading literacy entered their area in 1989. Says Sujatha Khandekar, one of the founders and chief secretary of CORO, “Soon the women began to write letters to the ward officer complaining about the lack of sanitation facilities and went in a morcha to the ward officer wielding the letter.

” Together they began moving out and fighting for their rights. They got illicit liquor dens demolished. “When there was a gang rape in the area, we got together and ensured the culprit was caught and punished,” says Arif Kazi. 

Continues Khandekar, “The women formed pressure groups or mahila mandals in almost every lane in the slums. This prompted CORO to form the federation to bring all the groups under a common umbrella.”
Today the federation has a whopping 9,000 members belonging to 326 mandals.

Last December for the first time they had full-fledged elections for an executive committee for the federation. It had all the trappings like ballots, campaign chief, rallies et al. 71 women contested for the elections with 142 campaign chiefs.

Many of the women who fought the election are barely literate and had never moved out of their house before. “Initially there was opposition from our family members but when they saw we were doing something useful they began to support us,” says Shabana Ansari. “My children prepared the cutouts for my campaign and on nights when I would return late my husband would cook dinner,” says Sadhna Jadhav. 

 “Our elections were very similar to the civic elections — except that we dint bribe anybody or even pay anybody to attend our rallies, we didn’t attack other candidates or any of the unscrupulous things that politicians usually do,” says Biju Bhosle.

Now, many of them are harbouring political ambitions. “We want to show everybody that if women get together, we can get a lot done. At this moment I feel that this is the first step for me. I plan to contest the BMC elections in 2011 and eventually go right up to the parliament in Delhi,” says Aneesa Ansari.

According to Mumtaz Sheikh they are not competing against corporators but want to wake them up and work with them. Considering their work and interest in the neighbourhood they stand every chance to give the current corporators and MLAs a run for their money.

We want to show everybody that if women get together, we can get a lot done
-Aneesa Ansari executive committee member, Mahila Mandal Federation