Women constitute nearly half of India's population — over 680 million people — yet they continue to face systemic barriers to equality in education, employment, healthcare, and decision-making. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), only 25.1% of women in India are part of the formal workforce, compared to 74% of men. Even among employed women, wage disparity remains high — women earn an average of 20% less than men for the same work.

Education is one of the most powerful tools of empowerment, yet challenges remain. As per the 2023 UNESCO report, nearly 1 in 5 girls in India drops out before completing secondary education, often due to early marriage, lack of access, or social pressures. Over 23 million girls drop out of school every year due to lack of menstrual hygiene management alone. Without education, opportunities for independence and self-reliance are limited.

Gender-based violence is another harsh reality — every 15 minutes, a woman is subjected to domestic violence in India (NCRB 2022). Lack of access to reproductive healthcare, digital divide, and underrepresentation in leadership roles further restrict the potential of women. Despite these odds, empowered women have been at the forefront of social progress — as leaders, innovators, caregivers, and change-makers.

Women empowerment is not a luxury — it is a necessity for building a just and developed society. Empowering women means improving entire communities. It means better education for the next generation, lower poverty rates, healthier families, and more inclusive governance. Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a foundation for a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable future.

In our efforts to break taboos and promote health equity, Astitva Foundation also organized a menstrual awareness drive targeting both adolescent boys and girls. We conducted interactive sessions in two government schools, educating students on menstrual hygiene, biological understanding, and busting long-held myths surrounding menstruation. As part of this initiative, we distributed over 200 packets of sanitary pads to underprivileged schoolgirls, ensuring not only awareness but also access. This campaign aimed to foster dignity, health, and inclusivity — because menstruation is not a gendered issue; it's a human one.