ANANDI- Area Networking and Development Initiatives has been working with rural poor women in Gujarat, India, since 1995 with a strong emphasis on collective processes and a rights framework. The ‘empowerment approach’ is fundamental to all its interventions in the field, with an objective to create a just, equitable and peaceful society.

The empowerment approach for ANANDI concentrates on training and capacity building beyond a narrow focus on technical skills to that of political analysis for assessing contexts, risks, power, and underlying causes of a problem, challenging stereotypes, and traditional ways of responding as well as values of subordination and developing critical consciousness and a willingness to act on issues. Capacity building in our approach also includes tapping sources of inspiration and hope and strengthening skills for designing and implementing a range of action strategies such as leadership development, information gathering, analyzing and sharing, influencing and engaging with other agencies, education, collective planning and agenda-setting processes, conflict management, as well as ways to directly engage with state or institutions for advocacy, public accountability and lobbying.