W Power 2024

For expecting mothers in Assam's remote tea gardens, Arpana Choudhury is a godsend

Samar Srivastava
Published: Feb 14, 2017 06:47:13 AM IST
Updated: Feb 14, 2017 10:17:59 AM IST

For expecting mothers in Assam's remote tea gardens, Arpana Choudhury is a godsend
 
Arpana Choudhury | 25
Associate, Assam Justice Program, Nazdeek
Category: Law, Policy & Politics


In eastern Assam’s Sonitpur district, adivasis working in tea gardens are often denied access to basic government services. With pregnant women, this problem is particularly acute. For instance, the Rs 1,400 a month they are entitled to under the government’s Janani Suraksha Yojana, in most cases, doesn’t reach them. Ambulances are rarely available. The result: The state has among the highest maternal mortality rates in India.

These women have been Arpana Choudhury’s focus since she joined the End Maternal Mortality Now project (www.endmmnow.org) in June 2014, a month after it started. EndMMNow is funded by three agencies: Nazdeek, a legal empowerment organisation; ICAAD, a US-based human rights organisation; and PAJHRA (Promotion and Advancement of Justice, Harmony and Rights of Adivasis). Choudhury, who studied to be a journalist, had a ring-side view to these challenges when she worked with PAJHRA in Tejpur, also in Sonitpur district. Equipped with that understanding, Choudhury trained 18 paralegals to assess and report violations of the rights of adivasis under the National Health Mission.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL 30 UNDER 30 LIST

These lapses—which range from the unavailability of ambulances to broken-down ultrasound machines—are now reported by these paralegals with the help of specific codes (each code refers to a specific kind of lapse) via text messages. Locations with service deficiencies are mapped and the EndMMNow website is updated every day. Once Choudhury receives the text message, she calls the volunteer to get more information and assesses how to deal with the situation: By talking with the health authorities concerned, by reporting it to the police, or by filing a Right to Information application.

Choudhury says ultrasound machines are now being repaired and rations to women are being distributed on schedule.

It is painstaking ground work often ignored by city-based NGOs. Vrinda Grover, a lawyer and human rights activist, says, “It is unpardonable that a majority of these issues, like labour issues, are being ignored by NGOs. I think very highly of young people who are doing work like this on the ground and away from big cities.”

Forbes India - #ArpanaChoudhury of Nazdeek is the messiah... | Facebook

For expecting mothers in Assam's remote tea gardens, Arpana Choudhury is a godsend

(This story appears in the 17 February, 2017 issue of Forbes India. To visit our Archives, click here.)

Post Your Comment
Required
Required, will not be published
All comments are moderated