Transformative change for women and adolescent girls

As well as putting women’s political, economic and social empowerment at the centre of all of its activities, Purnima is promoting women and girls as change agents in political, economic and social spheres.

Political empowerment

Purnima is engaging with local governments to promote gender equality and increase women’s political participation. It is using gender audits to review local policies and regulations and making recommendations on how to make them more inclusive. It also aims to reach 500 current and future female political leaders with leadership training and connect them to a network of women in leadership positions in the private sector and civil society.

Economic empowerment

Purnima is working directly with 500 female entrepreneurs, equipping them with training and support to overcome the discriminatory challenges that they face. Entrepreneurship Development Incubation Labs help women access business services and provide business skills and IT training to help them adopt the latest technologies. Purnima is also increasing women’s confidence to do business by helping them engage with their markets and addressing restrictive social attitudes.

Social empowerment

Purnima is helping women and girls improve their health and wellbeing and develop management and leadership skills through its water, sanitation and hygiene component.

By increasing the number of households that have water points, women and girls do not have to travel to collect water and have more free time for education, paid work and leisure.

Purnima is helping to set up water user committees led by women. These committees make decisions about how water is used within their communities, collect water user fees and mange payments for maintenance and repairs. These roles can be important stepping-stones for women to take on other leadership roles in their communities and districts.

Purnima is reaching 4000 women through community discussion centres which are safe spaces for women to express their opinions and discuss problems which can then be dealt with as a collective. The centres will provide access to legal helpdesks and help women understand their rights. Purnima is also developing school clubs on gender issues which are targeted at both girls and boys.