Shifting Mindsets: A Roadmap of Araju Village Organization

Needing a strong collective to enhance their understanding about social and political agendas, to practice a changed culture, the women of Araju village, through their Village Organization, have collectively overcome the barrier of societal pressure and have understood the real sense of democracy.

I N THE LARGE AND COMPLEX socio-political arena we live in, people often talk about their helplessness. As individuals, they think that they are not capable enough to influence or change the system. They, therefore, choose to remain beneficiaries rather than struggle for their basic rights and entitlements. The daily struggle for livelihood, rigid societal norms and an enormous sense of powerlessness place a three-pronged pressure on the people and they prefer to maintain status quo rather than fight the hard battle against injustice.

This principle has a greater impact on women because they belong to the most vulnerable sections of society. The existence of deprivation in society is more structural than natural; therefore, there is fear coupled with an attitude of disinterest among the people. They lack the will to raise their voice and to participate in governance. The higher 23 castes dominate the social structures in the rural areas; the state mechanism has only strengthened this by entrusting this privileged section of society to perform the developmental role.