Meera Satpathy’s drive to improve the health, gender, and education circumstances for women and children in India began 28 years ago when she founded Sukarya – a non-profit headquartered in Gurugram, India.

“I am a proud and committed volunteer of ‘Sukarya’ the nonprofit,” she says, and explains that “Su” in India’s Sanskrit language means “good” or “pure.”  “Karya” means “work.”

Therefore, “Sukarya” could be interpreted as “good work.”

Though fantastic progress has been made in the last two decades – the plight of women and children in India remain concerning when it comes to accessing opportunities that are easily available to men.

India, a prosperous country and the third largest economy in the world, still languishes low at number 140 in the world for the Gender Gap Index (GGI) among 156 countries polled by the World Economic Forum in 2021.

Despite progress in education and healthcare, the female labor force participation rate remains significantly lower than that of men.

Only 32.8% of female aged 15 years and above in India are participating in the labor workforce, as compared to 77.2% male, according to a Ministry of Labour and Employment statistics survey of April 2023.

This is due to a “patriarchal and male-dominated society like ours, women are involved in all kinds of household works and there is less participation in higher education and other decision-making roles,” Meera says.

Despite an economic boom underway, India is a fitting example of a country where the disparity between economic growth and social development is a jarring contrast.

Meera didn’t want to feel helpless and watch.

“Working more meaningfully for the underprivileged was my priority. That’s why I founded Sukarya,” she says.

When she was young, Mother Teressa’s selfless dedication to treating disease among the poor and homeless across India with compassion shaped her passion to do the same in her unique way.

Hence, the key to Sukarya’s work is the organization’s Gender Equality Programme. It works to provide basic knowledge and awareness to adolescent girls (10-19 years age group) on reproductive and sexual health and build their knowledge and skills on family life.

This priority is for a reason, says Meera.

“Educating girls about their bodies, rights, and health options empowers them to make informed decisions, promotes gender equality, and helps prevent issues like early pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, and gender-based violence,” she says.

This foundational knowledge is essential for their overall development and enables them to lead healthier, confident adult lives ahead in the workforce, government, and family life.

Read the full article about Meera Satpathy Ray Mwareya at Global Washington.