Inception of GMVS and program profile

Gramin Mahila Vikas Sanstha (GMVS) Latur was founded in 1996 by a group of local women from Deoni village of Latur district with Ms. Kushavarta Bele as the leading person. Coming from backward community Ms. Bele was self-inspired woman wanted to do something for the fellow community people who were victims of various forms of violence at domestic and community level. Marathwada region and her district Latur was known as masculine society where women from all sections of society used to face gender discrimination in all walks of life. Despite facing opposition from home and local leadership she started organising women and raising voice against violence against women. After gaining some experience of working in other social organisations she formed GMVS and started organising women to raise their issues and struggle for rights.

Since inception, GMVS has worked on awareness and organisation of women around their rights, formation of village level and area level groups (federations), gender justice, addressing issues of violence at domestic and community level and socio-legal counselling services, health awareness (especially on HIV/AIDS issues), trafficking amongst women and girls, promotion of natural farming practices, facilitating setting up of individual and group income generating activities, linkages building, enhancing women’s participation in local self-governing bodies and decision making and mobilisation of government development and empowerment schemes in favour of women. GMVS is a part of number of networks operational for rights of women and contributes in building micro-macro linkages.