The Agency for Community Organization and Social Action - ACOSA is an organization working to bring hope and succor to socially and economically disadvantaged in the Indian Society, especially the dalits. ACOSA was registered under the Indian Societies Act, with Registration No. 296/1995 on 12th June 1995. We function under the overall coordination of Spirit of Life Mission India and complement and support its mission by ministering to the developmental needs of the poor and marginalized in the rural areas and urban slums of India. More....

Within the broad area of women’s rights, SOLS concentrates on 3 priorities:

Bodily Integrity

SOLS is convinced that women should determine what happens to their own bodies Many women around the world are being abused, raped, exploited, mutilated, or forced into prostitution. In some countries, men can harm women physically with tacit agreement from the law and society.Economic Justice

SOLS wants to improve working conditions for female workers and stop economic exploitation. Also aims for greater economic self-sufficiency for women: Women not only make up the majority of labourers with the lowest paying, lowest level jobs, but they also endure sexual harassment and marginalisation both in the workplace and in labour unions - a combination of issues that binds them to poverty. Free trade and privatization around the world have had enormous consequences for women. SOLS supports initiatives that fight for women’s equality in the workplace, their greater economic self-sufficiency, a safe work environment and full recognition of women’s economic contribution.

Agency and Participation

SOLS wants women's voices to be heard and gain more influence All over the world women are looking for new ways to organize, support each other, make their voices heard, and gain more influence in the political and social processes that affect them and their families. These are women from traditional cultures or minorities, women living under repressive regimes and women who refuse to conform to social expectations. They want to be heard. They want visibility. They seek empowerment. SOLS works to improve these women’s position, raise their political awareness, and let them organize themselves so they can increase their influence, involvement and leadership in all spheres of life. This is especially pertinent in India where women's movements are just beginning.

For example, SOLS supports projects and groups involved with sexual and reproductive rights, the position of women in the employment market, in peace processes and in political decision-making, and which are fighting against (sexual) violence against women. In short: projects that ensure a broad awareness of women’s rights and that contribute to improving the position of many women and girls.

Why does SOLS wants to raise awareness about women’s rights?

• Women make up 70% of all people living in extreme poverty;
• Women produce more than 50 % of all the food in the world yet own only 1% of all agricultural land;
• Domestic violence is a leading cause of death to women age 15-45 worldwide;
• Two-thirds of the children who do not receive education are girls and
• Gender violence causes more death and disability among women 15-44 than cancer, malaria, traffic accidents and war combined

However, there is irrefutable evidence that when women’ social and economic position improves, many development objectives are realized faster than when their position remains same. For example,

• Every year of mothers’ education corresponds to 5 to 10 percent lower mortality rates in children under the age of five
• As larger numbers of women enter politics, public agendas change, corruption is reduced and governance improves
• Investments in the health and education of women are not only profitable for them, but also for their families
• A mother’s rise in income has a greater positive effect on her family than a father’s rise in income
  
  When women can claim their rights, life gets better for them and everyone around them. Women’s rights are human rights. SOLS believes social change starts with women.

Sources: www.un.org, www.thp.org, www.icsw.org, www.unfpa.org, www.fao.org, www.emancipatieweb.nl

There are many organizations fighting for women's rights. Read more to get to know some of them.

• www.awid.org  Association for Women's Rights in Development
• www.europarl.eu.int/committees/femm_home.htm  FEMM; Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality
• www.guerillagirls.com  "re-inventing the 'f' word - feminism"
• www.hrw.org/women  Human Rights Watch women's pages
• www.iccwomen.org  The Women's Caucus for Gender Justice, human rights organisations specifically concerned with gendercrimes
• www.iiav.nl/eng  Library, documentation centre and archives on the position of women and women's studies
• www.inwf.org  International Network of Women's Funds
• www.learningpartnership.org  Organisation dedicated to women's leadership and empowerment
• www.wfnet.org  Women's Funding Network
• www.whrnet.org  Women’s human rights organisation
• www.womensedge.org  "Ending global poverty begins with women’s opportunity"
• www.wunrn.com  UN organization Women’s United Nation Report Network
• www.womenwarpeace.org  UN women's organisation UNIFEM

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