Women Empowerment
Women are often referred to as the backbone of society, playing a crucial role in the fabric of communities and families. An empowered woman is self-confident and self-reliant, equipped to assert her rights and significantly contribute to her family’s economic stability. We believe the essence of women’s empowerment lies in enabling them to exercise control over their lives, make independent decisions, and pursue opportunities that were previously out of reach. We therefore work closely with women to support them on their journey of empowerment, focusing on three pillars – education and skilling, employment, and social support, especially rights awareness and legal counselling. By empowering women, we not only uplift individuals but also catalyse the overall development of society.
Mahila Panchayat
Sofia’s Mahila Panchayat program, backed by the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) and the Government of Delhi, is a powerful tool for empowering women. It educates them on their legal rights and offers legal aid, thus providing a valuable support system for women in need within the community. The program not only equips women with knowledge of the law and case management but also offers counselling to those affected by violence. With a dedicated team including four paralegal counsellors and a coordinator, Sofia’s Mahila Panchayat initiative actively tackles issues such as domestic violence, maintenance disputes, bigamy, alcoholism and other social challenges. When conflicts cannot be resolved at the Panchayat level, the program escalates them to the appropriate authorities, ensuring proper oversight by Sofia and DCW representatives.
Beyond dispute resolution, Sofia has made significant strides in changing societal attitudes through camps, street plays and awareness programs. These initiatives confront deep-seated issues like gender inequality, literacy gaps, female infanticide, the dowry system as well as other and harmful traditional practices, and provide women with a safe space to voice their grievances and seek help.
It is really a community-based program for women and helping them to live their life with pride and dignity. Sofia is helping and making the victim women in North East district of Delhi self-dependent, self-reliant by providing skill development training and helping them to find a job. The process makes them economically independent and enables them to support their families. Thousands of women have been trained and placed on jobs or helped to start their own businesses.
The team of Mahila Panchayat are having four Paralegal counsellors and one coordinator who are trained in different laws pertaining to women, working under Mahila Panchayat at Sofia. They handle the cases and provide counselling under the guidance of Sofia and Delhi Commission for Women.
The location i.e. Old Mustafabad & Brahmpuri. Mahila Panchayats has been successfully functioning under Sofia as a collective approach towards community participation in dispute redressal. The members of these Panchayats are provided trainings aimed at making them legally aware. Mahila Panchayat’s are established to resolve the cases of maintenance, bigamy, domestic violence, alcoholism etc. at the community level. If the cases do not get resolved at the Mahila Panchayat level, alternative course of action is taken under the supervision of the NGO or DCW representatives.
Sofia has also organized many camps, street plays and awareness programs for sensitising the community and encouraging them to fight against the evil of the society such as female infanticide, foeticide, sexual discrimination, gender inequality, reluctance towards girl education resulting in high percentage of illiteracy, dowry system, restrictions at home etc.
These camps have provided a space for women to register complaints if they face any kind of issues.
Education and Skilling
Educating women is the first step to empowering them. It gives them the tools to grow and stand on their own two feet. Along with education, learning new skills opens the doors to better employment opportunities, allowing women to support themselves and their families. We therefore work hand-in-hand with women from the community, offering them both education and vocational training. Sofia’s programs have made a tangible difference, empowering countless women to achieve economic independence.
Our Women Literacy Program empowers women by teaching them essential reading and writing skills, along with practical instruction in completing government forms and applications so they are able to complete everyday tasks with confidence and independence.
Women Literacy Classes
Educating women is the first step to empowering them. It gives them the tools to grow and stand on their own two feet. Along with education, learning new skills opens the doors to better employment opportunities, allowing women to support themselves and their families. We therefore work hand-in-hand with women from the community, offering them both education and vocational training. Sofia’s programs have made a tangible difference, empowering countless women to achieve economic independence.
Our Women Literacy Program empowers women by teaching them essential reading and writing skills, along with practical instruction in completing government forms and applications so they are able to complete everyday tasks with confidence and independence.
Sofia Smart Centre
Sofia, in partnership with the Tech Mahindra Foundation, launched the Sofia Smart Centre, a space tailored for domestic violence survivors, widows and single mothers. This initiative offers specialized training in a wide range of skills including tailoring, dress designing, professional cooking, beauty care and sales, equipping women with essential skills for employment or entrepreneurship. The program includes a well-structured curriculum designed to equip women in securing dignified job placements or starting their own businesses.
In addition to technical skills, the centre focuses on comprehensive personal development. Our classes also cover grooming, basic professional etiquette and courtesy, all aimed at fully preparing them for the job market or to launch their own ventures.
Self Help Groups
Sofia has started 24 self-help groups, each comprising 40 members, at our different centres. These groups are integral to our mission of empowering women to meet their basic needs and address emergency expenses. Our approach involves not only providing financial assistance but also conducting specialized hand-holding sessions and skill development programs. These initiatives are designed to ensure the members of the self-help groups achieve sustainable and effective results in their pursuit of self-reliance.
Social Support
We at Sofia firmly believe in empowering women across all aspects of their lives. Our initiatives go beyond education and employment assistance. We are dedicated to helping women understand and fight for their rights, find their voice and stand up against social barriers. We focus especially on those who have faced domestic abuse, as well as widows and single mothers, ensuring they receive the support they need to thrive. Our outreach programs cover a wide range of issues, from legal aid and counselling to health camps.
Legal Aid Clinics
Sofia, with the support of the Delhi State Legal Service Authority, operates Legal Aid Clinics in the Old Mustafabad and Brahmpuri areas, complementing the work of the Mahila Panchayats. These clinics offer a space where women can voice their grievances and receive free legal counsel. For cases that require formal legal action beyond the panchayat’s scope, Sofia provides free legal representation in court, ensuring that every woman has the opportunity to seek justice without the burden of legal fees. This comprehensive network ensures that legal support is accessible to those in need.
Self-Defence Training
Self-defence is an important skill for women, equipping them to face potential threats with confidence. Research indicates that women trained in self-defence respond to attacks with courage, knowing they possess the techniques to protect themselves. To foster this sense of security, Sofia provides self-defence training for young girls and women. These sessions are held every three months across all Sofia centres, ensuring that women are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary for their own protection.
Save The Girl Child Program
Sofia runs the Save the Girl Child initiative in Delhi’s northeast district, which aims to change the mindset of families and communities towards female children and their mothers. In a society where gender imbalance is a serious issue, the birth of a girl often leads to discrimination by both male and female family members, with practices like sex-selective abortion, female feticide and infanticide still prevalent.
To counteract these deep-rooted biases, Sofia engages the community through educational camps, street plays and community meetings, advocating for the value and rights of the girl child. The program champions the cause by offering education, health check-ups and nutritional support, contributing to a more informed community that respects the dignity and importance of every girl child.
Crises Intervention Centre (CIC) PAST
In November 2019, Sofia managed a Crisis Intervention Cell (CIC) in Delhi’s northeast district, which was dedicated to supporting rape survivors. This project involved specially appointed counsellors who provided comprehensive assistance to survivors and their families, including emotional support, legal aid such as filing FIRs and navigating court trials, and other necessary services without charge. Additionally, the CIC coordinated with an extensive network of NGOs to secure medical aid, mental health support, shelter and financial help for the victims, ensuring a multidisciplinary approach to their recovery and justice.
Distribution of Hygiene Kits
Since 2015, Sofia has been collaborating with BSES Yamuna Power Limited (BYPL) to deliver vital community services across 14 divisions within Delhi’s northeast, east and central districts. Amid the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Sofia, with BYPL’s backing, launched a campaign to provide hygiene kits to families in need. Each kit contained essential items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, detergent bars, soaps, masks and sanitary pads to help ensure families could follow basic hygiene practices. Notably, the masks were crafted by women and girls trained in a Sofia-run stitching course, further contributing to the community effort. In total, 14250 hygiene kits and 8600 handmade cloth masks were distributed. Additionally, a targeted initiative ensured that 250 residents of the Mother Teresa Home in Nand Nagri received these essential hygiene kits.