>BrownHairedGirl at 13:49, 25 April 2021

2021-04-25T13:49:38Z

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{{Infobox Indian political party
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'''The All Bengal Women's Union''' was started in the 1932, when a group of women in [[West Bengal]] formed a cadre of like-minded women to help their helpless, exploited and victimized fellow women.<ref name="about">{{cite web|title=Social welfare organization working for women empowerment and rehabilitation|url=http://www.abwu.org.in/aboutus.aspx|website=All Bengal Women's Union|accessdate=28 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180129004715/http://www.abwu.org.in/aboutus.aspx|archive-date=29 January 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The genesis of the group lay in the fact that [[Trafficking in human beings|trafficking]] in [[Prostitution in India|women]] and [[child prostitution|children]] had increased to an unprecedented extent in West Bengal and the [[Calcutta]] area and this [[NGO]] was an attempt to address the problem.<ref>{{cite web|title=All Bengal Women's Union|url=https://www.endslaverynow.org/all-bengal-womens-union|website=End Slavery Now|accessdate=28 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=All Bengal Womens Union|url=http://grassrootsvolunteering.org/volunteer_opportunities/all-bengal-women-s-union|website=Grassroots Volunteering|accessdate=28 January 2018}}</ref>

In between the two World Wars, the number of sailors and soldiers had considerably increased and the flesh trade found a ready and expanding market in Calcutta.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Legg|first1=Stephen|title=Anti-Vice Lives: Peopling the Archives of Prostitution in Interwar India|url=http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/27895/1/ANTIVICE%20LIVES%20BLANK.pdf|publisher=University of Nottingham|accessdate=28 January 2018|date=2014}}</ref> The ''Calcutta Suppression of Immoral Traffic Act'' and the ''Children Act'' were passed in order to enable the
police to rescue women and children from the [[brothel]]s.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Sen|first1=Samita|title=75 Years IN The Shadow Of Sita|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/1070111/asp/opinion/story_7228376.asp|website=The Telegraph|accessdate=28 January 2018|date=11 January 2007}}</ref> A new bill entitled ''The Bengal Suppression of Immoral Traffic Bill''<ref>{{cite book|title=The Bengal Suppression of Immoral Traffic Act, 1933|url=https://archive.org/stream/1933WB6/1933WB6_djvu.txt|website=Internet Archive|accessdate=28 January 2018|language=English}}</ref> was placed before the Bengal Legislative Assembly in 1932 by Mr. [[J. N. Basu]], an eminent [[lawyer]] and [[social worker]]. The Bengal Presidency Council of Women and the All Bengal Women's Conference decided to form an independent organization for the Suppression of Immoral Traffic in Bengal. This society came into being with the name of ''All Bengal Women's Union'' and registered under Act XXI of 1860. The All Bengal Women's Union is affiliated to the [[International Abolitionist Federation]], Geneva.<ref name="about" /> On April 1, 1933, the bill was passed. [[Romola Sinha]], the founder member was the first chairperson of Central Social Welfare Board in West Bengal.

Among the other notable ladies who had made significant contributions to the institution were Smt Maneck Modi, Smt Sheila Davar and Mrs Bela Sen.
The visit of Princess Anne (in January 2007)<ref name="tele">{{cite web|title=Where Charity begins|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/1070111/asp/opinion/story_7219412.asp|website=The Telegraph|accessdate=28 January 2018|date=11 January 2011}}</ref> was an important event in the history of the Institution.
Mrs Davar became the president of the club on the death of Mrs Sinha. She also founded the Bustee Welfare Society located at Lovelock Place. Mrs Bela Sen was the Chairman of the production Department for a long time.

The All Bengal Women's Union is assisted in their work by several NGOs such as [[Save the Children Fund]].<ref name="sponsor">{{cite web|title=Sponsorship for health and education of the poor children|url=http://www.abwu.org/projects.asp?project=sponsorship|website=All Bengal Women's Union|accessdate=28 January 2018|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724220118/http://www.abwu.org/projects.asp?project=sponsorship|archivedate=24 July 2011|date=24 July 2011}}</ref>

==Projects==

The major projects of the organization have been:

* Creating homes for the housing of old aged women
* Creating children's welfare homes (Primary Schools)
* Providing vocational training
* Developing rehabilitation centers
* The Refill Project for those with learning disabilities
* The Bakery Project that provides employment to rehabilitated women
* Research and documentation into the sex trade of children and women
* Counselling services for mentally and psychologically traumatised women (sponsored by the [[Hope Kolkata Foundation]])
* Sponsorship programs for health and education needs (in conjunction with [[Asha for Education|ASHA]] and [[Save the Children]])
* Free legal aid to women who are living below the poverty line to those who need it for any purpose
* The Sahayika Project, which trains girls who are victims of various atrocities and violence as ayahs and nursing assistants.
* The Shikshalaya Prakalpo Project, supported by [[UNICEF]], aims to provide primary school education to the dropouts
* The Swadhar Project, intended to work with 25 girls from the [[red light district]] is in its genesis

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.abwu.org.in/ All Bengal Women's Union]

{{Prostitution in India}}

[[Category:Organizations established in 1932]]
[[Category:Women's organisations based in India]]
[[Category:Organisations based in West Bengal]]
[[Category:Prostitution in India]]
[[Category:1932 establishments in India]]

All Bengal Women's Union - Revision history

>BrownHairedGirl at 13:49, 25 April 2021