Cymaa Trust

Surpport for rural women and Adolescent Girls Gender Equality

1. Background and Rationale:

 Despite several social and legal reforms, gender inequality continues to persist in rural Tamil Nadu. In many villages of Virudhunagar district, adolescent girls and women face limited access to education, employment opportunities, equal participation in decision-making, and are disproportionately affected by domestic and sexual violence. Deep-rooted gender stereotypes and cultural norms continue to reinforce inequality.

To address these issues, Cymaa Trust proposes a village-level community engagement program aimed at increasing awareness and understanding of gender equality among adolescent girls and rural women. This initiative seeks to create empowered individuals who can break gender barriers and advocate for their rights and dignity. 

2. Objectives

·To build awareness among rural women and adolescent girls on the concept and importance of gender equality.

·To challenge harmful gender norms and stereotypes through community-based workshops and dialogues.

·To enhance self-confidence, leadership, and life skills in adolescent girls.

·To empower women to participate in community development and decision-making processes.

·To engage men, boys, and local leaders as allies for gender equality.

 3. Key Activities

Activity and Description

01 Baseline Survey

To assess current attitudes, knowledge, and practices related to gender roles.

02 Village-Level Workshops

Gender equality workshops in each of the 20 villages (separate sessions for adolescent girls and women).

03 Adolescent Girls' Leadership Circles

Formation of peer-support groups and life skills training.

04 Community Awareness Events

Street plays, poster exhibitions, film screenings on gender issues.

05 Gender Champions Program

Identify and train 2 gender champions per village (1 girl, 1 woman).

06 Engaging Men & Boys

Conduct sensitization sessions for boys, fathers, and male leaders.

07 Monthly Follow-Up Sessions

Continued engagement through follow-up meetings and mentoring.

08 Endline Survey & Evaluation

Measure the change in awareness, attitude, and behavior among participants.

4. Expected Outcomes

• Increased awareness of gender rights among 1,200 beneficiaries.
• Reduced gender-based discrimination in homes and communities.
• Creation of 40 local “Gender Champions” for sustained advocacy.
• Enhanced confidence and leadership in 800 adolescent girls.
• Increased support from men and boys toward gender-equitable behavior.

5. Monitoring & Evaluation

• Pre- and post-intervention surveys to measure knowledge and attitude changes.
• Monthly progress reports from field facilitators.
• Community feedback sessions.
• Final project evaluation with documented impact stories.

7. Sustainability

• Train local schoolteachers, SHG leaders, and ASHA workers as co-facilitators.
• Form village-level Gender Equality Committees for continued action.
• Integrate the program into Cymaa Trust’s ongoing adolescent development and women empowerment work.

8. About the Organization

Cymaa Trust, Srivilliputtur has been working for over a decade to promote child rights, adolescent wellbeing, and gender justice across Virudhunagar District. The Trust has deep roots in the community and strong experience in conducting village-based awareness campaigns and capacity-building programs for marginalized groups.

Contact Information:

Cymaa Trust

# 39, Durga Nagar 2nd St, Rajapalayam Main road, Srivilliputtur – 626 125, 

Virudhunagar District, Tamil Nadu

Email              : cymaatrust2003@gmail.com

Phone             : 999 475 2121

Contact Person : P. Raja Gopal, Director

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