Women’s Movement against Liquor Shops: Towards Creating a Better Society

Identifying addiction to alcohol as one of the prime reasons for gender-based violence, the empowered women of SHGs collectively protest the presence of illegal liquor shops and move the administration and police to act in their favour

“You have come from Jhalda-II?” asked a very surprised Additional District Magistrate- General (ADM-G) of Purulia when he saw the women from the poorest block of West Bengal arrive at his office at the end of the working day on 20 November 2013. “Why have you come so far? Your faces are pale—have you eaten anything all day?”

O ne of the women stepped forward to make the introduction. “We are from the Kangsabati Nari Maryada Mahasangha, a Federation of 202 womens Self Help Groups.”

The ADM-G interrupted, “You are from the SHG Federation? Who is the President, the Secretary or the Treasurer?”

There was silence for a few seconds and then one of the women politely told him, “We don’t have such things. We have 2,595 members and one Board Member from each of the 23 Clusters. We have come here today because we want to stop all the liquor shops in our area and we need your help and support to make it happen.”

The ADM’s first response was, “It’s not possible to stop all the liquor shops. Are you talking about illegal shops?”

The representatives of the Kangsabati Nari Maryada Mahasangha then explained to him their journey and struggle. Their journey had begun at the end of 2007 when the women of Jhalda-II Block had first started coming out from their homes to form Self Help Groups (SHGs), with the help of PRADAN. Awareness about their common struggles inspired the women to work together and support each other.