SEWA Bharat

SEWA Bharat Official page of SEWA Bharat, the national federation of SEWA organisations in India.

The Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) is a national movement that promotes full-employment and self-reliance for women working in the informal economy. Started in India in 1972, SEWA is comprised of 2.9 million women who lead change at the grassroots from within their communities to break down the systemic barriers that prevent them from equally contributing to the economy, home, and societ

y. SEWA Bharat works by organising women workers as well as running community-specific social development programs, such as financial inclusion, health, incubation for collective social enterprises, skills, and livelihood creation, to effect long-lasting, community-led change.

15/05/2026

Women working in the informal economy face many challenges that are difficult to fight alone.

But collectivisation changes this. When women come together, they build collective strength to negotiate for their rights, support one another and create lasting change within their communities.

Introducing ‘The Power of Collectivisation’ - a series that showcases stories of women coming together to ask for their rights, dignity and livelihoods.

Episode 1 - takes us to Raghubir Nagar in West Delhi. A story that began with women vendors facing difficult working conditions leading to a women-led market built through solidarity and collective action.

Today, the Mahila Bazaar, near Minto Road, Delhi stands as a powerful example of women being recognised as workers, represented in decisions that affect them and women working with dignity and confidence.

13/05/2026

In many communities, women are the first to notice a problem. SEWA has relied on a decentralised model to bring together women workers and address their needs. At the centre of this model are grassroots leaders called aagewans.

At SEWA Bharat, aagewans are supported through the Aagewan Vikas Programme, along with governance and entrepreneurial training that strengthens their ability to lead within their communities. From addressing issues like domestic violence to improving access to water, hygiene and sanitation, they enable communities to become more participatory in their own governance. In the process, they bridge the gap between vulnerable populations and the systems meant to support them.

Over the years, aagewans have become an integral part of the SEWA movement, strengthening communities through collective action, local leadership and solidarity.

12/05/2026

SEWA Bharat was pleased to participate in the SBI YFI Conclave 2026, represented by Ms. Sanchita Mitra National Coordinator of SEWA Bharat and Ms. Suvaiba Fatima Ahmed, NGO Coordinator, SEWA Bharat.

The two-day conclave offered an enriching platform for immersive learning, dialogue, and reflection. We appreciate the efforts of SBI Youth for India team, in convening 15 NGO partners for a roundtable chaired by SBI leadership, fostering meaningful exchanges on the role of youth in the development sector.

Our partnership with SBI since 2019 has engaged 35 fellows across initiatives, and each year continues to strengthen our shared commitment to youth-led development. For SEWA Bharat, the fellowship has played a critical role in bringing in young professionals who contribute to grassroots innovation, strengthen field processes, and build pathways for long-term community-led change.

We look forward to building on these insights and deepening our collaboration in the years ahead.

Across April, work across states brought women workers in the informal economy together to raise their voices, strengthe...
09/05/2026

Across April, work across states brought women workers in the informal economy together to raise their voices, strengthen collective representation and build more resilient livelihoods.

From climate preparedness trainings with urban local bodies in Bihar to a community meeting in Delhi where women raised issues around water, sanitation and documentation, the month reflected the power of mobilised women workers in shaping local action.

In Delhi, waste recyclers also formed a Trade Committee to strengthen representation. In Nagaland, street vendors, through advocacy efforts, got a toilet installed for themselves in their workplace and secured their space in the Town Vending Committee. In West Bengal, a World Health Day medical camp brought healthcare services and preventive health awareness closer to communities.

Together, these efforts reflect SEWA Bharat’s continued commitment to recognition, representation and security for women workers.

For women in the informal economy, childcare is not separate from livelihoods. It directly shapes how much time they can...
07/05/2026

For women in the informal economy, childcare is not separate from livelihoods. It directly shapes how much time they can spend earning, working and building economic security.

When affordable childcare is unavailable, women are often forced to choose between care and income.

At SEWA Bharat, we work to make quality childcare affordable, accessible and rooted in the communities where women live and work. This includes running community-based childcare centres, integrating childcare into spaces women already access such as SSKs, and training women to take on roles as childcare providers.

At the heart of this work is a simple belief: women must be recognised as workers, and the systems around them must reflect that reality.

The most powerful work in rural deserves a national stage. Here’s an opportunity to showcase it. The prestigious Rohin...
05/05/2026

The most powerful work in rural deserves a national stage. Here’s an opportunity to showcase it. The prestigious Rohini Nayyar Prize 2026 is open for nominations!

Instituted in memory of Dr. Rohini Nayyar, the prize honours practitioners under 40 who are shaping the future of rural development through sustained, transformative work.

If you, or someone in your network, is doing work that deserves wider recognition, do apply.

Deadline: 31 May 2026

Apply here: https://rohininayyarprize.org/nomination-form-2026-2/

On this Labour Day, we recognise the millions of women in the informal economy whose work sustains households, communiti...
01/05/2026

On this Labour Day, we recognise the millions of women in the informal economy whose work sustains households, communities, and entire local economies and yet often goes unseen, uncounted, and unprotected.

At SEWA Bharat, we work across communities to ensure that women in the informal economy get:
• Recognition - as workers, with rights and dignity
• Representation - in economic and policy systems that shape their lives
• Resilience - to build secure, sustainable livelihoods

Today on World Day for Safety & Health at Work, we highlight women workers in the construction sector and their ordeals....
28/04/2026

Today on World Day for Safety & Health at Work, we highlight women workers in the construction sector and their ordeals.

The general definition of safety in this sector is often reduced to helmets, harnesses, and compliance. But for women construction workers, safety includes physical, environmental and health-related aspects.

Women workers are visible on every site. But they remain invisible in the system.

At SEWA Bharat, we work with women in the informal economy to change this by building collective strength, enabling access to social security, and creating pathways for women so that they can have safer working conditions.

Because safety begins with recognition, grows through representation, and is sustained by resilience.

On this Ambedkar Jayanti, we remember Dr. Ambedkar’s vision of a egalitarian society where dignity is guaranteed to all....
14/04/2026

On this Ambedkar Jayanti, we remember Dr. Ambedkar’s vision of a egalitarian society where dignity is guaranteed to all. At SEWA Bharat, this vision lives on in the everyday work of reaching vulnerable and marginalised women, enabling access to livelihoods & social protection and building a platform where dignity is non-negotiable.

SEWA Punjab convened government departments, NGOs and civil society organisations at the 4th edition of Sanjha Samvaad -...
13/04/2026

SEWA Punjab convened government departments, NGOs and civil society organisations at the 4th edition of Sanjha Samvaad - bringing diverse voices together around a shared goal: advancing stronger, more coordinated action for women’s empowerment across Punjab.

Designed as a multi-stakeholder platform, the convening enabled meaningful dialogue, hands-on workshops, and pathways for collaborative action - strengthening partnerships that can drive sustained, on-ground impact.

12/04/2026

The SEWA movement reimagined empowerment for women in the informal economy through self-reliance, collective strength, and dignity of labour.

Today, as the movement completes 54 years, we look back at a journey that has grown into a collective of 3.7 million women across 20 states, bringing voice, visibility, and validity for the women in the informal sector.

From securing fair wages to building institutions like SEWA Bank, it has created pathways to pathways to economic independence and social justice for millions of women.

Rooted in its core values:
* Women at the centre
* Strength through collectives
* A Gandhian path

SEWA continues to be a powerful example of what sustained, grassroots organising can achieve.

GrassrootsLeadership

Address

SEWA Bharat 7/5, First Floor, South Patel Nagar
Delhi
110008

Opening Hours

Monday 9:30am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 9:30am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 9:30am - 5:30pm
Thursday 9:30am - 5:30pm
Friday 9:30am - 5:30pm
Saturday 9:30am - 5:30pm

Telephone

+911125841369

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