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Indian NGO SEWA: Joint Winner of The Jacques Diouf Award 2012-2013

1,031 views · Published 15 June 2013 · 2:15 · Indexed 4 November 2026

Channel: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations · 2013 · Nonprofits & Activism

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The Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA ) is a joint winner of the Jacques Diouf award 2012-2013 for improving the food security of poor self-employed women and their families.

The Jacques Diouf award is presented biennially to individuals or national/regional institutions that have made a significant contribution to the improvement of global food security. The award consists of an inscribed medal, a scroll describing achievements and a cash prize of USD 25,000.

Established in 2011 this award pays tribute to former FAO Director-General, Dr Jacques Diouf, recognizing his outstanding leadership, personal engagement, and untiring advocacy in the fight against poverty, hunger and malnutrition.

The Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA) has transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of women in India through its extraordinary work and has become a role model for the world. It is a model of how poor people can become self-sustaining and transform their lives for the better. Self-reliance, social inclusion and dignity are the very heart of SEWA's work. The Organization not only asserts its members' rights but also supports them to make effective use of access to services, opportunities and assets. 

India's Self-Employed Women's Association was founded in 1972 and is the largest trade union in India with over 1,300,000 members in 9 states. SEWA's members are very poor vulnerable women workers, such as small farmers, casual labourers, home based workers, porters, street vendors and waste pickers. It is a self-run and demand driven organization characterized by people-centred participatory approaches to development, and members share a determination and faith in organizing for their rights, to protect their livelihoods and to safeguard their rightful place in the economy. SEWA's main goals are to organize women workers for full employment and self-reliance.

SEWA's impact on food security and livelihoods has been outstanding among its members as well as at the national and the international level. SEWA contributed to improve food security and reduce poverty of hundreds of thousands poor self-employed women members and their families through improving their access to food and income-generating opportunities.

© FAO: http://www.fao.org

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