Abstract

The policy brief titled “Why it is important to retain an independent Mahila Samakhya Programme,” prepared by the Centre for Budget and Policy Studies in 2016, argues for the continuation of the Mahila Samakhya (MS) programme. Launched in 1989 under India’s Ministry of Human Resource Development, MS promotes women’s empowerment through education and collective action, targeting marginalised groups like Dalits and Adivasis. Operating across 11 states, MS has significantly impacted areas such as intergenerational education outcomes, women’s empowerment, and community building.

Research highlights the programme’s success in improving girls’ education, delaying marriage, fostering social networks, and promoting political participation. Unlike self-help group-based models, MS empowers women through sanghas—local collectives that address diverse issues like health, education, and gender-based violence. Notably, the programme’s flexible, process-oriented approach has generated unique institutional responses, such as Nari Adalats (women’s courts) and Mahila Shikshan Kendras (women’s education centers), which address local challenges effectively.

The brief critiques proposed mergers with the National Rural Livelihood Mission, emphasising MS’s distinct goals. It recommends extending MS funding through 2018 to consolidate achievements, expand reach, and devise an exit strategy based on evidence of impact, arguing that the programme’s benefits far outweigh its costs.

Jha. J, Menon. N. (January 2016). Why it is important to retain an independent Mahila Samakhya Programme: A Policy Brief