Meet Salma

How it works

Operation PeaceMaker is an innovative approach to ending domestic violence by harnessing the power of local women to become their own change agents.

PeaceMakers are local women who have been trained in family and marriage counselling, as well as all aspects of the Domestic Violence Act. This program has proven extremely successful and is now being carried out across three cities in Telangana.

Learn more at the Operation PeaceMaker website

My Choices Foundation

Opportunity's program partner My Choices Foundation was born from the desire to see families become the focus of prevention and transformation of the most pervasive and intractable forms of injustice against women and girls – domestic violence and human trafficking.

My Choices Foundation began in early 2012 as “My Choices”, a Hyderabad based NGO providing free, grassroots services to victims of domestic violence and their families. The vision of bringing an end to domestic violence by harnessing the power of local women to become agents of change in their own communities was the driving force that led to the birth and subsequent exponential growth of My Choices.

Since then, it has grown not only in its vision to address domestic violence through counselling and legal aid, but also to include the mission to eliminate sex trafficking in India by 2025. Red Alert was founded in early 2014, with the vision to prevent trafficking of young girls for the purpose of sexual exploitation. After an 18-month research, ground-building and training phase, Red Alert launched programs in October 2015.

My Choices Foundation is committed to using the most innovative methods to end domestic violence and prevent sex trafficking in India.

Learn more at the MyChoices website

How it works

Operation Red Alert began in early 2014 with the vision to end sex trafficking in India by preventing girls from ever entering it.

Initially, Operation Red Alert spent 18 months building relationships with long-standing NGOs in the field and listening to their concerns about the gaps in the national response, conducting landmark research into compulsions behind the behaviour of men who buy and sell girls for sex, and developing messaging that inspires lasting change.

This led to the three pillar approach in action today.

Learn more at the Operation Red Alert website

Your Update in October 2017

FOUR YEARS OF PEACE IN THE MAKING

Operation PeaceMaker was founded first and foremost to reach those experiencing domestic violence with services that would empower them to share their story, and get help to end the abuse. Indian law supports women looking for protection from abuse, but they require education on the choices available to them, and help to access these choices. Two out of three survivors report not seeking help before speaking to a PeaceMaker.

Over the past four years, 191 PeaceMakers have been trained and equipped to work in their communities counselling, educating and assisting victims of domestic violence. A PeaceMaker presents women with choices that will allow them to live a life free from abuse. 

BREAKING THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE

Working to break the cycle of violence through community education, Operation PeaceMaker's two awareness-raising initiatives have collectively reached over 67,000 individuals. While PeaceMakers work to bring peace in homes, the complementary School Program and Basti community meetings initiatives educate the wider community.

Meet Bilqus

Today, Bilqus is a strong, independent woman running her own business, raising her three children as a single mother – and a PeaceMaker in her community.

Married at 18, Bilqus endured 20 years of severe physical and sexual abuse at the hands of her husband and his parents. During these long years she had family and friends around trying to support her – offering listening ears and food to eat – but all were resigned to believing there was no way out of this horrible situation.

As much as Bilqus struggled to live with the abuse she faced, it was her husband’s treatment of their children that pushed her to act. She had heard about a PeaceMaker in her community, and one day found the courage to approach the woman.

At first, sharing her experience was difficult. She was ashamed to talk about the sexual abuse she had faced, and fearful of the consequences of speaking out.

But with the help of her PeaceMaker, Bilqus has found freedom. Her dream of living peacefully with her children has finally come true.

Bilqus is determined to help her children pave their own path in life. She believes a good education is vital to this, but so too is their freedom. Now 17, Bilqus is supporting her eldest daughter to continue in her studies and reject the social pressure to get married. Instead, Bilqus wants her children to decide for themselves when and who they will marry. She has taught both her daughters to never be silent victims of abuse.

But it’s not just her daughters who are paving a different path. Bilqus is teaching her son how to treat women respectfully too.

Thankful for how her life has changed, Bilqus wanted to influence not just her own family but her community. She is now a PeaceMaker herself and feels equipped to help other women facing abuse find peace like she has.

Your update in March 2018

Training women to be leaders in their communities

To date, 204 women have been trained as PeaceMakers. After completing their training these women are equipped to assist women in their communities to foster peace in their own homes. As time passes following their training, these women inevitably enter new life stages – for this reason the program generally has around 70-80 active PeaceMakers at any one time.

Partnering with police

The initiative is continuing to strengthen cooperation with the local police in Hyderabad. The city’s Women Police Stations, branches staffed by women to help combat domestic abuse and sexual violence, now direct relevant cases to Operation PeaceMaker. In 2017 over 1,000 cases were handled.

Prevention is best

While women trained as PeaceMakers have proven highly effective in fostering peace in difficult situations, even better is to stop violence occurring in the first place. Operation PeaceMaker has increased its focus on prevention by launching a program targeting university students with content tailored to this audience. 

Meet Maheshwari

Maheshwari was 16 years old when she married. Her husband didn't work, so Maheshwari worked as a maid in an office building to ensure she could support her two children. Eventually, she decided to leave her husband and live with her parents, but she always felt as if she and her children were a burden on them.

Shortly after moving back to her parent's home, Maheshwari joined the PeaceMaker training program. She found it difficult because of what she was experiencing in her own life, but the counsellors and teachers rallied around and supported her. "I discovered strength, independence and peace during my training," she says. "While it gave me the ability to help other women, it also taught me how to deal with my own pain and frustration. I'm now a better mother and communicator."

As soon as Maheshwari heard the stories of other women, she felt she had a responsibility to use her new knowledge and skills to support them. She runs awareness workshops throughout her local community and provides support to women who are experiencing domestic violence. She reconciled with her husband and they are making a new start in their relationship. "I have a great sense of pride in both my family and work," she says.

Thank you for empowering PeaceMakers like Fouzia and Maheshwari to help reduce domestic violence, so more families in India can live peaceful lives. Lives in which women find their voice, are heard and respected. 

I have a great sense of pride in both my family and work.

Maheshwari

Your Update in October 2018

Prevention focus sees surge in cases reported

Following our increasing focus on prevention and awareness programs, there has been a surge in reporting of child sexual abuse cases to Operation PeaceMaker's counselling centres. In response, we've strengthened our relationships with the agencies dealing with these cases, and now play a vital role in pursuing cases as well as guiding and supporting families and children through the necessary process.

Empowering teens

One of these prevention initiatives is the Shakti program. In June we celebrated the graduation of 73 girls from Shakti – a year-long mentorship program empowering teenagers to take control of their own safety, and impact the community around them. Participants become part of a peer support network where they learn how to avoid risks, such as child marriage, and share their struggles. Through Shakti girls are equipped to continue their education, recognise and address dangerous situations and negotiate life choices for themselves. Beyond keeping themselves safe, girls are supported to articulate their aspirations and take steps towards achieving their life goals.

We know that preventing violence is best, vitally the Shakti program helps teenage girls live safer, happier lives free from violence.

Meet Madhuri

"You are not good enough for our son"

"You did not bring any dowry" 

"You come from such a poor background" 

After marrying Prasad and moving in to his family home, these were the kinds of things Madhuri would hear constantly from her father-in-law. At first they were directed at Prasad, his own father beating him for "marrying a worthless woman". In turn, Prasad would emotionally abuse Madhuri – especially when his poor management of their finances left them broke. 

One day Madhuri's father-in-law handed his son a belt and encouraged him to beat his wife over a disagreement, which Prasad did. From this time on physical abuse from her husband became a regular part of Madhuri's life. Despite the constant abuse, when Prasad asked for a divorce out of the blue, Madhuri worked to save their marriage. The couple went through a long period of separations and reconciliation. As the abuse continued to escalate, Madhuri's neighbours became increasingly concerned by the screaming, crying and other noises they would hear regularly. Seizing an opportunity when no one else was home, these neighbours came with money and pleaded with Madhuri to flee to her parent's house for safety. 

However, Madhuri's parent's house was not a safe place for her. Her in-laws threatened to kill her brother and kidnap her newphew if Madhuri would not "behave herself and come back to her husband". Madhuri's parents refused to support her. At this time Madhuri was already working two jobs to try and support herself as well as pay back long-standing debts her husband had accumulated in their names. 

With nowhere else to turn, Madhuri approached the local police. Thanks to our partnership with local police services, she was referred to a PeaceMaker Counselling Centre. It was only during these counselling sessions that Madhuri began to realise what she had experienced was wrong. Her PeaceMaker recalls their first session, where a naive Madhuri listened intently to the definition of abuse and her legal rights. 

While working with her PeaceMaker to resolve her situation Madhuri continued to hope her marriage could be saved. She believed that free from the influence of her in-laws, her husband would stop the abuse. Both sets of parents come together to organise a meeting with community leaders. During this meeting Madhuri listened to her father-in-law address their community, detailing how Madhuri had insulted their family by getting a job, by stepping in to a police station and separating from her husband. He told everyone he believed she would come back to her husband and he would "show her her place".

As she heard this, Madhuri's heart sank. For the first time she truly realised that she would never be valued or respected by her husband or his parents. Then and there she decided to proceed with the divorce and fight for an independant life, free from abuse. 

Madhuri's case is continuing. She's still working two jobs, struggling to pay off their shared debt. The divorce court proceedings are ongoing. Madhuri has grown in confidence and self-esteem, but she still has a long road ahead of her. Her PeaceMaker Counselling Centre continues to walk along side her, offering support and helping her access the services she needs to secure her safety and independence.