Women's rights activist Ela Bhatt passes away, here's everything you should know about her

Padma Bhushan and Magsaysay awardee Ela Bhatt (89) passed away on Wednesday. Seeing the suffering of self-employed poor women, she founded the 'Self Employed Women's Association' (Seva) in 1972.

Social activist Ela Bhatt fought for more than five decades for the labor rights of self-employed women.

Within three years of its establishment the number of 'Seva' members increased to 7,000 and then the government registered it as a trade union. However, many difficulties arose in this. By December 1995, the number of its members had increased to about 220,000 and it became the largest single association in India.

SEVA members through their organization and solidarity gained the power to negotiate with employers on their own terms and arrange health, maternity benefits. The 'Seva' members established dozens of cooperatives of various trade groups, with the aim of sharing skills and expertise, developing new equipment, designs and techniques, and forging a niche in the wholesale procurement and joint market. These cooperatives have an average of more than 1,000 members.

Bhatt was born in 1933. She first became a lawyer, then a social worker, and in 1968 she became the head of the women's section of the Textile Labor Union in Ahmedabad. While in this position, she came across the plight of self-employed poor women in the city and elsewhere in Asia. These women included weavers, cigarette roller makers, fruit, fish and vegetable sellers, wood and waste pickers and road construction workers.

These women had to pay exorbitant rents for their shops and/or the tools used in their work. Along with this, moneylenders, employers and officials also regularly exploited or harassed them. In Ahmedabad, 97 percent of these women lived in slums. 93 percent were illiterate, most women were in debt and had to take some or all of their children with them to work. To deal with this situation, Bhatt established 'Seva' in 1972. The union established its bank in 1974.

She was also a member of 'The Elders', a group of global leaders founded by the late President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela. In 2010, Bhatt was awarded the 'Nivano' Peace Prize and the first 'Global Fairness' Award. In 2011, Harvard University honored him with the 'Radcliffe Institute Medal' for her work. Also in 2011, Bhatt was appointed to the board of the Reserve Bank of India. In the same year, she was selected for the Indira Gandhi Award.

Also Read – International Indigenous day 2022: Everything You Need To Know

Keep watching our YouTube Channel ‘DNP INDIA’. Also, please subscribe and follow us on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and TWITTER.