There is a widespread feeling in the villages of India that when the national rural employment guarantee scheme is implemented properly as per the provisions of its law called NREGA, it is very helpful, particularly for women. However a frequent complaint of people is that it is not being implemented properly at many places. Hence many organizations are working all over the country to try to secure better implementation of NREGA.
In this context the experience of a women’s organization in the desert district of Barmer (Rajasthan) is very interesting. This organization called Mahila Sangathan Barmer has been working for a long time to ensure that more rural women here are able to get NREGA employment. In terms of fulfilling various procedures like placing demand for work, obtaining receipts and taking follow-up actions this mahila sangathan (women’s organization) has been very active and has been involved in securing employment for nearly 4700 rural women.
In the course of these efforts the mahila sangthan has gained a new insight that while the primary justification of NREGA is for providing employment and income support, there is also an additional important benefit of this employment law being realized when women living in remote desert houses are able to come together regularly for several days. They meet each other, make new friendships, share their worries and concerns. This has helped these women to improve their mental health while helping to reduce their pent-up tensions.
Thus as Anita Soni, coordinator of mahila sangthan says, NREGA is good for livelihoods but it is also good for mental health. This may well be more of a reality in this desert area where houses tend to be located at greater distances, but perhaps to a lesser extent this can be true in other areas as well.
This women’s organization was quick to realize this additional potential as it had already been working on a program to improve mental health supported by MIH. This program in turn started, Anita Soni says, when an increase of suicides by women was reported in these villages and it was considered necessary to start a program for reducing this disturbing trend and for improving mental health.
The mahila sangathan has about 2000 members. Group leaders from various villages have monthly meetings in Barmer town.
These meetings and being part of a larger organization of sympathetic women increases the confidence of women that when in difficulty they can get help from here. This also creates a deeper sense of solidarity with each other and with the sangathan.
The mahila sangathan has also been working more specifically for reducing domestic violence and in fact for reducing all kinds of violence against women. Earlier some women were silently enduring such violence. 
This resulted in accumulation of distress, pain and tensions within them which worsened the situation. Recognizing this reality, the mahila sangathan started a ‘chuppi todo abhiyan’ or break the silence campaign. As a result of this when women started sharing their problems with their friends, their worries and distress decreased and at the same time the collective strength of the mahila sangthan could be used to reduce the problems of these women.
There has been a lot of discrimination against widows in these villages and they are barred from wearing more colorful dresses and ornaments even if they are of a relatively young age. Such discriminatory practices have also been challenged by the mahila sangathan and subsequently these are being reduced.
The mahila sangathan on the basis of its observations has found that alcoholism among men has been a leading cause of violence against women as well as of several other problems. Hence one of the challenges it wants to take up more in the near future is to reduce the increasing menace of alcoholism.
One of the important gains of the work of the mahila sangathan has come from its ability to integrate economic and social issues, livelihood and social reform issues, health and social interaction issues. This has helped the mahila sangathan to achieve significant gains, and such insights from its work can be useful for other social movements and organizations as well.
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The writer is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include Protecting Earth for Children, Planet in Peril, Man over Machine, and A Day in 2071
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