Being a researcher for more than half-a-decade during the seventies, while working in various state and/ or central government and in international projects, I could get an insight into social problems and issues. The log list of research papers published by me during that tenure could not offer much satisfaction personally, as the same proved merely a table- work. Of late, my interest in social research witnessed a shift towards action-oriented assignment and hence I bade a farewell to central government job by resigning Subsequently the spark within me emerged I founding of and NGO called WOMEN’S ORGANIZATION FOR MANAGING ECONOMIC AND EDUCATIONAL NEEDS., Hyderabad in 1986 like others, I also observed lots of miseries and harassments to women folks be these the torture, dowry deaths, gender inequalities, eve-teasing and what not? The worst-hit were found among the less privileged and the poor girls/women. The only way-out left to overcome such happenings seemed to me to lie in improving their self esteem through awareness, education and empowerment, which may reduce dependency.

If one extends a helping hand to wards such target groups, in a step-wise fashion of charity (to start with), welfare (to stabilize) and development (to make progressive the scene could be entirely different. Time may not be far of when a majority of the females (constituting half of the male-population) start doing wonders by exercising their hidden talents. As a social scientist and also as a women myself, I personally have longing to bring about speedy development in the status, vision and style among masses of poor women and girls living in peripheral areas. Such changes require concerted efforts in persuading the girls / women to learn Vocational skill (at cheaper costs), then to acquire the advanced training and subsequently to establish themselves as entrepreneurs. There is need to strengthen women by promoting self-help groups, mahila mandals, cooperatives etc in slums, which will also cultivate leadership among them. W.O.M.E.N. believes “lifting women, up-lifting men”.

I have a dream- every women to gain moral courage by overcoming their inhibitions and weakness and to move forward to wards development –path. If women achieves I am confident that the entire family will develop and thus we will be sowing a seed of corrective measures to get rid of stigmas, myths and atrocities / social evils etc from our society. How beautiful and peaceful would be our tomorrow’s country if this dream comes true!!

- Dr. (Mrs.) Azmat Nayeem