Aid to India has taken a hit recently, as government donors focus on poorer countries. This makes sense, but 400 million Indians are still living on less than $1 a day.
Violence against women is another major challenge. The recent headlines coming out of India horrified us all, yet these stories reveal only a fraction of the problem: Every 3 minutes, a woman in India is subjected to violence.
Media stories frequently portray these women as victims. Given the risks that many of them face every day on the street and in their homes, this is understandable. But it doesn't reveal the whole picture. Many female activists and grassroots campaigners have been working for years to confront the problem, demonstrating that they can lead change within their own communities.