About Us – Neralu

Vision

ಸಮಾಜದಲ್ಲಿ ಶೋಷಿತ ಅಂಚಿಗೆ ತಳ್ಳಲ್ಪಟ್ಟ ಮಹಿಳೆಯರಿಗೆ ಸಮಾನತೆ, ಸ್ವಾತಂತ್ರ, ಮತ್ತು ಘನತೆಯ ಬದುಕು, ಹಿಂಸೆ ರಹಿತ ಜೀವನ, ತಾರತಮ್ಯ ರಹಿತ ಬದುಕನ್ನು ನಡೆಸಲು ಐಕ್ಯತೆಯನ್ನು ಸಾಧಿಸುವುದು.

Build unity so that oppressed and marginalised women lead lives with equality, freedom, dignity, violence-free, and discrimination-free in society

Mission

ಅಸಂಘಟಿತವಲಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಶ್ರಮಿಸುವ ಮಹಿಳೆಯರಲ್ಲಿ ಸಂಘಟನೆ ನಾಯಕತ್ವವನ್ನು ಬೆಳೆಸುವುದು (ಬೀಡಿ ಕಾರ್ಮಿಕ ಮಹಿಳೆಯರು ಮತ್ತು ಇತರೆ ತಳಸಮುದಾಯದ ಕಾರ್ಮಿಕ ಮಹಿಳೆಯರು ಮತ್ತು ಕುಟುಂಬಗಳು)
ಸರ್ಕಾರಿ ಇಲಾಖೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿನ ಯೋಜನೆಗಳನ್ನು ಸಮುದಾಯದ ಸಹಭಾಗಿತ್ವದಿಂದ ಅನುಷ್ಠಾನಗೊಳಿಸುವುದು
ಹಿಂಸೆ, ದೌರ್ಜನ್ಯ ರಹಿತ, ಕೋಮು ಸೌಹಾರ್ದ ಸಮಾಜ ನಿರ್ಮಿಸುವುದು
ಮಹಿಳಾ ತಾರತಮ್ಯ ತಡೆಗಟ್ಟುವುದು (ಜಾತಿ, ಧರ್ಮ, ಲಿಂಗ, ವರ್ಗ)
ಸಾಮಾಜಿಕ ನಾಯಕತ್ವ ಕಟ್ಟುವುದು (ಆರ್ಥಿಕ, ಸಾಮಾಜಿಕ, ಶೈಕ್ಷಣಿಕ, ಸಾಂಸ್ಕೃತಿಕ, ರಾಜಕೀಯ)

To nurture collective leadership among women labouring in the unorganised sector (women beedi workers and other working class women and families)
To strengthen government programmes through active public participation
To create a society that has communal harmony and is free of violence, atrocities
To prevent discrimination against women (based on religion/caste/gender/class)
To build the capacity of women in financial, social, educational, cultural and political terms

Values

ಪಾರದರ್ಶಕತೆ
ಬದ್ಧತೆ
ಹೊಣೆಗಾರಿಕೆ
ಸಮಾನತೆ
ನಂಬಿಕೆ ಮತ್ತು ಗೌರವ

Transparency
Commitment
Accountability
Equality
Trust and respect

Our Story

Neralu works to organise and build solidarity among marginalised women who are mostly engaged in unorganised sector work like beedi workers, domestic workers, tailors, women who work in garments production, puffed rice production, making bags. Our journey began by creating self-help groups of women workers in Davanagere district in 2005. These group meetings became a platform for discussing issues that women confront in daily lives, of labour exploitation and injustices in work, lack of access to basic facilities like water, housing, and dignified healthcare, discrimination based on religion and caste.

It resulted in the women beedi workers consistently and collectively questioning various forms of exploitation of labour by the contractors and beedi companies. These include (and not restricted to) not receiving minimum wages, not being identified as workers under the company, setting unreasonable demands of the number of beedis for poor quality leaves and cutting the wages, not having any social security measures, not providing bonus or keeping PF in company owners’ family members instead of actual beedi workers etc. Women were also denied provision of leaves and work by the contractors if she was found questioning these exploitative practices and fighting for labour rights. But women continued to organise and formed Neralu Beedi Workers’ Union to continue the struggles. This union was registered in 2017 and currently with a strength of over 1400 women beedi workers in Davanagere, Karnataka continues to grow and stand through women’s solidarity and leadership.

Further, marginalised women came together to form the Dalit Muslim Mahila Okkoota. The women of various oppressed caste, class and religious identities through this collective strength and leadership challenge the patriarchal system and systemic violence not just in their households but also in the communities and larger society. Women who previously were confined to homes due to family restrictions are now reclaiming their place in public participation.

What started as conversations and women coming together to start savings has now become a symbol of asserting dignity and building solidarity with the struggles of various oppressed communities and overall development of women. Neralu team is committed to continue nurturing the above women collectives and leadership for social and financial security, having equality of opportunity in health, education, work, citizen participation and communal harmony. And to share the learnings of our endeavours with other groups and be a catalyst for women leadership and gender equality in society.

Our team

Our team comprises mostly women who have emerged as leaders from the communities and are committed to the cause of strengthening grass-roots collectives and a society free of injustice.