| Formation | 1967 |
|---|---|
| Founder |
|
| Type | Women's organisation |
| Headquarters | Patna, Bihar, India |
| Location | |
Official language | Hindi |
| Affiliations | National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) |
Bihar Mahila Samaj is a state-level women's organization based in Bihar, India. [1] It is affiliated with the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW). [2] The organization works for women's empowerment, gender equality and social justice across Bihar. [3] It organizes awareness campaigns, protests, and training programs to support women's rights and livelihood opportunities. [4] [5] The President of the organization is Nivedita Jha, and the General Secretary is Rajshree Kiran. [6] [7] [8] [9]
The Bihar Mahila Samaj was founded in August 1967 by four womens—Urmila Prasad, Nalini Rajimwale, Neelima Sarkar and Professor Gauri Ganguli—who were associated with left-oriented social and political movements. The first set of office bearers of the organisation was elected on 10 September 1967 under the supervision of Vimla Farooqi. In its early years, the organisation received support and encouragement from prominent national leaders, including Aruna Asaf Ali.
The Bihar Mahila Samaj played a key role in introducing the observance of International Women’s Day in the state. In 1968, the day was celebrated in Bihar for the first time, and was marked as an anti-dowry day. The organisation also initiated campaigns to honour families who refused dowry and promoted the signing of anti-dowry pledge forms.
On 10 December 1970, the organisation organised a major rally and demonstration in Patna, which drew significant public attention. Contemporary accounts described it as one of the largest women-led protests the city had witnessed. The demonstration was addressed by the then Chief Minister, Daroga Prasad Rai, who expressed support for their demands.
The organisation continued to expand during the 1970s. Prominent activist Pratibha Sinha joined the Bihar Mahila Samaj in 1972 during her student years and later served as the State Secretary. She recalled that the organisation frequently used seminars, rallies, protests and sit-ins to raise issues before the administration, even facing police action and arrests in the course of their activism.
Senior members such as Rama Chatterjee have documented the organisation’s grassroots work, which included assisting women with everyday struggles, helping them access government schemes, and intervening in cases involving divorce, domestic violence and gender-based violence. The organisation played an important role in mobilising women from villages to cities and strengthening collective action.
Throughout its history, the Bihar Mahila Samaj participated in several significant movements. These included protests against rising prices, opposition to the Roop Kanwar sati case in the 1980s, interventions in cases involving Adivasi and labouring women, responses to communal violence, and relief efforts during natural disasters such as earthquakes. The organisation raised its voice on issues such as dowry, dowry deaths, domestic violence, women’s reservation in legislatures, and employment reservation for women.
The organisation is affiliated with the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW). It hosted two national conventions of the federation—in Begusarai in 1991 and in Patna in 2008. Leaders of the organisation have also participated in international women’s programmes; for instance, founding member Urmila Prasad represented the organisation at events in Bangladesh.
Once considered one of the most influential women’s organisations in Bihar, the Bihar Mahila Samaj has in recent years undertaken efforts to rebuild and revitalise its organisational presence. It has taken positions on contemporary issues, including its criticism of provisions of the Bihar liquor prohibition law that were viewed as harmful to women. On the occasion of its golden jubilee in August 2017, the organisation held seminars, exhibitions and other public events, and released a commemorative publication to mark fifty years of its work and legacy. [2]
The Bihar Mahila Samaj has been active in a wide range of grassroots, rights-based and advocacy initiatives across the state. [2] Its work has focused on mobilising women, addressing gender-based violence, and intervening in cases affecting marginalised women, including Adivasi and labouring women. The organisation has also played an important role in ensuring that women in both rural and urban areas gain access to government schemes, legal remedies and administrative support.
Members of the organisation have frequently assisted women facing domestic violence, marital disputes and social ostracism, and have helped them navigate legal and bureaucratic processes. Senior activists describe their method of working as one based on building trust, offering practical assistance, and helping women link everyday struggles with larger questions of rights and social justice.
Over the decades, the organisation has taken part in several major issue-based movements, including protests against price rise, campaigns against dowry practices, and interventions related to communal tensions and natural disasters such as earthquakes. It has also been active in opposing harmful social practices and violence against women, including strong public interventions during the Roop Kanwar sati incident in the 1980s.
The Bihar Mahila Samaj has consistently advocated for women’s reservation in legislatures, employment reservations for women, and stronger legal protections in cases of gender-based violence and discrimination. Through its affiliation with the National Federation of Indian Women, it has participated in national and international women’s programmes, and hosted national-level conventions in 1991 and 2008.
In recent years, the organisation has renewed its public engagement, taking positions on contemporary issues such as the gender-related implications of Bihar’s liquor prohibition law. It continues to organise discussions, awareness programmes and campaigns addressing emerging challenges faced by women across the state. [2]
According to the official constitution of the Bihar Mahila Samaj, [10] the organisation aims to:
According to the official constitution of the Bihar Mahila Samaj [10] the organisation functions through a four-tier administrative structure and follows a written governance framework that defines its objectives, membership rules, financial provisions and internal functioning.
The constitution outlines the following organisational structure:
Any woman aged 18 years or above who accepts the objectives of the organisation may become a member. The annual membership fee is set at 0.50 rupees.
The constitution provides for an Executive Committee at the state level comprising 25 to 65 members. The principal office bearers include:
Financial operations of the organisation are jointly managed by the General Secretary and the Treasurer.
The constitution mandates:
Decisions at conferences require a simple majority, while amendments to the constitution require a two-thirds majority of members present in the State Council.
Each organisational unit is authorised to levy additional fees for meeting essential expenses. Affiliation fees specified in the constitution are as follows:
Members who remain absent for three consecutive meetings without prior intimation may be removed from the council. Representatives from Bihar in the national council who fail to attend even one meeting may lose their representation rights. Vacancies occurring in any council or office may be filled by the newly constituted council, as per constitutional provisions.