Trainings to adress barriers that deny single women access to government programmes and services.

For single women to live a life of greater dignity and not perceive
themselves as an unwanted burden on society, the state requires to rethink
the existing system of fractured and piecemeal programmes implemented
in an unfriendly and haphazard manner. Single women have highlighted
time and again the need for social security to be considered a right of the
vulnerable and discriminated single women. Most single women in the
network describe corrupt,
profiteering and gender discriminating leaders, local authorities and
police/judicial officers as the greatest barriers to accessing basic services
of food, housing, decent work and to filing of divorce papers, or claiming
maintenance. SIWONET is collaborating with Ministries, state institutions,
local governments and other women’s organizations to organize human
rights and gender sensitization trainings for these service providers as well
as state-level officials who are tasked with effective implementation and
delivery.
The aim of the trainings, is to inform and educate individuals about the
specific vulnerabilities that diverse groups of single women face; the
impoverishment brought about the aggravating impact of the multiple
disadvantages they face because of caste, religion, ethnicity, illness,
disability and other circumstances. Through trainings, Service providers
are sensitized to recognize single women as independent head-of
households, to be provided entitlements in their name and legal aid, without
exploitation through bribery or crippling procedural and paperwork hassles.
Furthermore, the trainings encourage the service providers to play a
transparent, accountable and gender sensitive role in the lives of single
women living in marginalized communities.