HYDERABAD: Empowerment comes with great responsibility, and women have always been role models in taking initiatives to secure livelihoods and provide for their families. People in rural areas often need support or encouragement to start something that can offer them sustainable income. Recognising this need, Democratic Sangha, a social reform organisation dedicated to promoting democracy through human rights, rule of law, women’s participation, civic education, and electoral reforms, has launched a flagship initiative called ‘The Rural Women’s Leadership Programme’.
At the launch event held at district150, CE spoke with the founder, Brahmachari Chaitanya, and actor Regina Cassandra, who shared their thoughts on the initiative.
Chaitanya explained, “People often view democracy as just casting a vote and leaving the rest to leaders. This attitude has led to many problems, including inequalities in education and the acceptance of money in exchange for votes. Democratic Sangha was born out of the need to revive democracy and foster grassroots movements that promote democratic awareness. Our first initiative, ‘The Rural Women’s Leadership Programme’, aims to create thousands of women leaders at the grassroots level who can advocate for themselves and their communities, leading to real change and development.”
He continued, “The programme involves forming women’s collectives in villages, where members meet monthly over a year-long agenda. This agenda includes nine training modules covering topics like the Constitution, democracy, gender equity, and government programmes. It also features two community campaigns where women identify and address specific issues in their village. This programme empowers rural women from marginalied communities to make a difference.”
Chaitanya credited his inspiration to Swami Agnivesh, a renowned social reformer and activist. “Swami Agnivesh, who was a prominent leader of the Arya Samaj Movement and a recipient of the Right Livelihood Award, deeply inspired me. His work on bonded labour, casteism, and other social issues motivated me to start this organisation.”
He also spoke about Regina’s role in the initiative, stating, “Regina has been a friend for a long time, and we share similar interests in social change. Having her as a co-founder makes it easier to move this initiative forward.”
The Democratic Sangha focuses on three main areas: women’s participation (through the Rural Women’s Leadership Programme), civic education (encouraging youth to take up social projects), and electoral reforms (improving voter registration and promoting voting based on manifestos rather than identity or incentives).
Co-founder and actor Regina Cassandra expressed her passion for the cause, saying, “When Chaitanya asked me to be part of this, it meant the world to me. As women fighting for our rights, we often become feminists but I believe it’s about empowering everyone to fight for what they believe in. Many women in our country have untapped potential. This initiative aims to bring us together as a force for change.”
She added, “As a co-founder, I aim to work closely across districts and use my platform to amplify this initiative. We want everyone to know about it and invite them to participate.”
Regina emphasised the importance of awareness, stating, “Being aware and accepting are qualities we should all develop. We live in a democratic country, but many of us only start thinking about our rights when we study subjects like history and civics. I urge everyone to become more aware of our rights and responsibilities. That’s where Democratic Sangha comes in — we want more people to engage in these conversations.”