STEPS
STEPS is a voluntary service society registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Act 1975 in 1991. STEPS is a women's organization which works on issues related to women in general and Muslim women in particular.
STEPS aims have a long-term impact on the lives of the Muslim women, by engaging intensely with social, religious and cultural institutions, to bring about an attitudinal shift about in dominant perceptions of the rights of Muslim women. It believes that interpretation of the Quoran through a patriarchal lens results in discrimination against the women of the community and forces them to lead a subjugated life. STEPS has helped educate women about rights provided by their religion (Shariat), constituted state-legal aid cells to address cases of violations against women, worked with men's groups sensitising them on issues of violence and bodily integrity and networked with Police and Judiciary to ensure gender justice.
Its engagement with victimized Muslim women has made it vulnerable to threats from both within its community and outside it. STEPS takes care to make it clear that it is neither against Islam nor against men in general.
In a pioneering move of sorts it has formed a Muslim Women's Jamaat that engages with the male Jamaats, the State and other members of the civil society on issues related to Muslim women. The Jamaat Movement today is comprised of about 5000 card-holding members and has spread to ten districts in Tamil Nadu. In addition STEPS has formed and strengthened 279 Muslim Womens' SHGs in 10 districts of Tamil Nadu having 4282 members. Most of the women are illiterate, economically impoverished and have been victims of violence and sexual abuse. The empowerment approach of STEPS has invited a very positive response from the Muslim Women and they are now in a position to challenge many archaic and oppressive doctrines of the Jamaat (clerics) regarding their women. The women's Jamaat also has a vision to construct a mosque for Muslim women which would be more than act as a space for Muslim Women to offer prayers alone!
STEPS has a Governing body of 22 members, 19 of whom are women from diverse fields. It has also constituted an Advisory Committee of 9 members for guiding the implementation of the project. The members are also women activists, feminist writers, educationists etc. STEPS also has an Executive Committee of 7 members which closely monitors and guides STEPS work.
The overall Hivos policy on Gender Women and Development places immense emphasis on gender equity and justice as well as on building women's leadership and the work of STEPS is in line with the overall policies of Hivos.
STEPS aims have a long-term impact on the lives of the Muslim women, by engaging intensely with social, religious and cultural institutions, to bring about an attitudinal shift about in dominant perceptions of the rights of Muslim women. It believes that interpretation of the Quoran through a patriarchal lens results in discrimination against the women of the community and forces them to lead a subjugated life. STEPS has helped educate women about rights provided by their religion (Shariat), constituted state-legal aid cells to address cases of violations against women, worked with men's groups sensitising them on issues of violence and bodily integrity and networked with Police and Judiciary to ensure gender justice.
Its engagement with victimized Muslim women has made it vulnerable to threats from both within its community and outside it. STEPS takes care to make it clear that it is neither against Islam nor against men in general.
In a pioneering move of sorts it has formed a Muslim Women's Jamaat that engages with the male Jamaats, the State and other members of the civil society on issues related to Muslim women. The Jamaat Movement today is comprised of about 5000 card-holding members and has spread to ten districts in Tamil Nadu. In addition STEPS has formed and strengthened 279 Muslim Womens' SHGs in 10 districts of Tamil Nadu having 4282 members. Most of the women are illiterate, economically impoverished and have been victims of violence and sexual abuse. The empowerment approach of STEPS has invited a very positive response from the Muslim Women and they are now in a position to challenge many archaic and oppressive doctrines of the Jamaat (clerics) regarding their women. The women's Jamaat also has a vision to construct a mosque for Muslim women which would be more than act as a space for Muslim Women to offer prayers alone!
STEPS has a Governing body of 22 members, 19 of whom are women from diverse fields. It has also constituted an Advisory Committee of 9 members for guiding the implementation of the project. The members are also women activists, feminist writers, educationists etc. STEPS also has an Executive Committee of 7 members which closely monitors and guides STEPS work.
The overall Hivos policy on Gender Women and Development places immense emphasis on gender equity and justice as well as on building women's leadership and the work of STEPS is in line with the overall policies of Hivos.
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