About Single Women Forum in 39 Kharol Colony, Udaipur

In the year 2000, a state-wide organization of low-income widows, separated women, older-never-married and other Single Women was formed in Rajasthan, a mass-membership organization with the name “Ekal Nari Shakti Sangathan” (ENSS) or the “Association of Strong Women Alone” (ASWA). The work that was done by the women helping each other brought new hope, self-confidence and a sense of belonging, to thousands of women across the state. In 2004, a large convention of Single Women (+1,500) was organized by ENSS in Jaipur, Rajasthan, and single women from 11 states were invited, heard about the work done in Rajasthan on widows’ land rights, accessing government entitlements, counseling cruel in-laws, breaking and changing caste and community customs – and saw the positive changes in the self-concept of the ENSS members. Other states shared their conditions, and after the convention, several states asked the Rajasthan women for help in forming Single Women’s organizations in their states. At present, there are such organizations in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Maharashtra, Punjab, as well as Rajasthan.

In April 2008, concrete interest was shown by 7 states for the idea of forming a National platform of Single Women’s organizations. During 2008, and into 2009, a core group of 8 states was involved in meetings and training events designed to think through what would be the shape and role of a useful National Forum for Single Women’s Rights. It was decided early on, that the leadership and membership of such a Forum should be from low-income single women themselves. A “National Forum Organizing Committee” was formed; the 8 states nominated 3-5 women each to take part in a series of meetings/trainings. That Organizing Committee worked through various issues in relation to taking the next step in actually forming a National Forum for Single Women’s Rights. The results of their work were put before about 200 single women representatives from 13 states of India, on October 7th, 2009. The Forum was launched!

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