Released on: March 25, 2008, 5:50 am

Press Release Author: Deepak Gupta

Industry: Advertising

Press Release Summary: SEWA Bharat is organizing a National level festival called
"SEWA Mahotsav" from 25th to 27th of March 2008 at Ambedkar Bhawan, Jhandewalan, New
Delhi. Around 1200 women members will attend this three-day festival from nine
states namely Bihar, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh,
Kerela and Delhi. This festival will be marked by colorful and lively cultural
performance put up by the SEWA members, display and sale of the vibrant handmade
products of SEWA members from different parts of the country and some games event.


Press Release Body: SEWA - A Movement

Smt.Elaben Bhatt founded the Self- Employed Women's Association (SEWA) in 1972 as a
Trade Union of self- employed women. SEWA is not just an organization but also a
movement. Infact it is a confluence or a sangam of three movements: Labour movement,
the cooperation movement, and the women's movement.

SEWA Bharat:

SEWA Bharat is part of the growth of SEWA movement - a movement of the poor informal
sector women workers in which they themselves are the leaders, and through which
their tremendous economic and social contribution is recognized, thus helping them
enter the national mainstream and making them strong and visible. Together ten
members organizations or SEWA organizations in nine states form SEWA Bharat National
Federation with the mandate to highlight the issues of women working in the informal
sector, and to strengthen the capacity of the organization that serve them.
In this movement, SEWA Bharat merely acts as a catalyst for the social reform and
change; it is the women workers themselves who are the torchbearers.
For its outstanding contribution, SEWA was named as one of the '55 things that make
India proud' by India Today in 2002 besides many other National and International
recognition.
Presently SEWA is one of the largest women's trade union in India with the
membership of over 11 lakhs across the country.

SEWA Bharat is organizing a National level festival called "SEWA Mahotsav" from 25th
to 27th of March 2008 at Ambedkar Bhawan, Jhandewalan, New Delhi. Around 1200 women
members will attend this three-day festival from nine states namely Bihar,
Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Kerela and Delhi. This
festival will be marked by colorful and lively cultural performance put up by the
SEWA members, display and sale of the vibrant handmade products of SEWA members from
different parts of the country and some games event.

The three-day festival will be inaugurated on 25th March at 3P.M by Shri Ajay Maken
ji, Hon'ble Union Minister of State for Urban Development, Government of India, New
Delhi. We have Dr Kristina Walleck; South Asian In charge of World Bank will also
honour the program as " special guest " at the inuguration. We also have Ms Devki
Jain, well-known Social Activist and founder of ISST as the "special guest "at the
later half of inaugural program. On 1st day we will have some lively performances by
the members. We would also felicitate the upcoming grassroot leaders of all the
states

The second day of the fest focuses on "competition of games and cultural event". In
the first half of the program, there will have various games like musical chairs,
Jalebi Race, Lemon and spoon race, breaking of earthen pots etc. In the later half
of the program, there will be cultural event competition in which the women of every
state will get a chance to showcase their talent in the form of dance, play or
songs.

On 27th March 2008, the third day of the celebration will begin with a peaceful
rally for the "Social Security bill" for the workers of unorganized sector. Around
2000 women will take part in this rally, which will begin, from Ramlila Ground to
Parliament Street. The rally will be followed by a dharna at Parliament Street.
The second half of the day will mark the "closing ceremony" of the three-day long
festival. We will have Ms. Leyla TegmoReddy, Director, International Labour
Organisation, as guest of honour, Ms.Meena Gupta (Secretary, Minister of Environment
and Forests) and Mr. Pong-Sul-Ahn -Pong (Senior Specialist on Workers' activities,
International Labour Organization) and as our special guest. On this day we will
have some cultural events and will give away the prizes to the winners of the
various games and cultural events.

The main aim of organizing SEWA Mahotsav is to provide a common platform to women
members from different regions, communities and areas in a common platform. This
place will provides them a larger platform where they can share their experiences of
their struggle and success at work and home at the national level. This Mahotsav
will give them an opportunity to celebrate themselves as workers that will help them
in enhancing their identity as workers. This will also help them in understanding
their strengths at larger platform and at the same time can feel the strength of
being part of SEWA union.

The chief guest on the first day is Shri Ajay Makan ji, Union Minister of State for
Urban Development, Government of India, New Delhi, Dr Kristina Walleck; South Asian
In charge of World Bank, and Ms Devki Jain (Social Activists and Founder of ISST) as
the "special guest". Ms.Meena Gupta (Secretary, Minister of Environment and
Forests) and Mr. Pong-Sul-Ahn -Pong (Senior Specialist on Workers' activities,
International Labour Organization) as our special guest on the "Closing ceremony" of
the three-day festival.


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Contact Details: Deepak Gupta
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