By TwoCircles.net News Desk,
New Delhi: Various Muslim NGOs and social groups are going to meet in Chennai on November 21 to discuss ways to get most out of the schemes launched by state as well as central governments to improve socio-economic condition of Muslims particularly Muslim women.
SAAYA, a network of social groups and NGOs working to uplift the socio-economic condition of Muslim women, is inviting Muslim groups to a consultation meeting on Saturday, 21st November 2009 (10.30 am to 05.30 pm) at The Life Centre, Dindigul, Chennai “for actualizing Socio-economic development of Muslim Women”.
After the Sachar Committee report underscored the acute socio-economic marginalization of Muslims in India, it was accepted that Muslims even lag behind Dalits who have suffered generations of caste-based discrimination. Following the disclosure, the Central Government accepted most of the recommendations by the Sachar report. In the recent Central Budget about 1500 crore rupees have been allocated for the improvement of the condition of minorities in India.
The state government of Tamil Nadu has also initiated actions for the development of Muslims. The Government of Tamil Nadu formed Muslim Women Aid Societies (MWAS) aimed at reaching out to the Muslim women in distress and destitute widows in all 30 districts in the State in 2007 similar to the one in Chennai.
But it is also a fact that because of ignorance about government schemes and lack of unity and collaboration among Muslim groups these schemes are hardly utilized to the full.
“There is an urgent need to make use of the present enabling environment to address the concern of the Muslim community, particularly its women. Concerted efforts should be made by the Muslim elites and the leaders to make use of the present environment for the development of their community. There should be greater synergy between Muslim elites and the development sector for actualizing socio-economic development of Muslims. It is our belief that if these are not done; various schemes initiated for the development of Muslims would not be effective and no real benefit accrue to the Muslim community,” said Syed Ahamed, Secretary, SAAYA.
“In view of the above and as a first step forward towards collective action, a Consultation meeting is being organized to take stock of the existing and the newly launched schemes of the government and available resources intended for the development of Muslim community,” Ahamed said.
At the meeting the participants will share each other’s experience of work. They will also chalk out ways and means for actualizing socio-economic development of Muslims in general and its women in particular.
SAAYA was formed in 2002 as a small group but now has mobilized over 1750 Muslim women into Self-help Groups (SHGs) in 7 districts of State of Tamil Nadu and has made significant strides towards both social and economic uplifting of Muslim women in over 35 villages. SAAYA also consciously built the capacity of its member organizations through interchange of thoughts and information, trainings and workshops. At present, SAAYA has a network of 10 member voluntary organizations and many supporters spread out in ten districts of the state.