Programmes - Women Development

PDS is always sensitive to the gender and environment aspects of every intervention it makes for the development of the society. Many of the projects implemented by the Society are targeted to the development of women and tribals. Economic independence and socio - political empowerment of the women are targeted through institution building, micro finance and enterprise development. Around 86% of the SHGs promoted by PDS are of women groups.

Political empowerment of women through SHGs In the recently held panchayat raj institutions election, 23 members of SHGs promoted by PDS contested and 18 of them have won of which 17 are women.

International Women’s Day
PDS considers celebration of women’s day as a time for the women community to come together and identify their strengths and opportunities for their further development. The celebrations were held on March 6 at Mont Fort School, Anakkara, Idukki district. Irrespective of the geographical barriers the celebration was characterized by huge participation of women from Idukki, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts. Exhibitions of innovative products from SHGs, seminar on climate change and its impact on women, taking oath for environment conservation, honoring of 17 women Grama panchayat members belonging to the self help groups of PDS and public meeting were held in which over 3000 women participated.

Women’s Technology Park

Women’s Technology Park is a project supported by Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India to promote technology based entrepreneurship among women in the district.

The project intends holistic development of the women in the selected villages through Income Generation through innovative enterprises and for drudgery reduction through innovative technologies. Four different enterprises, i.e., Organic Vegetable Cultivation, Mushroom Cultivation, Bakery products from Horticulture crops and Goat rearing are the major interventions in the project. The women from different villages have started to earn income from Mushroom cultivation, Bakery products, vegetable cultivation and goat rearing. Appropriate grassroots innovations, which could reduce drudgery among women are also being popularized among women groups.