Rehana Adib

Rehana Adib, Secretary of Astitva, is a familiar face of the women’s rights movement in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Her engagement with vulnerable and marginalized communities spreads over three decades. A violence survivor, she was married at the age of 12. As a child, she was not able to raise her voice against this injustice. As she grew older, she noted that women were facing oppression; their rights, voices were curtailed by authoritative men who had patriarchal notions. With a determined mindset, she started Astitva in 2005. She has been working on women’s socio-economic empowerment, human rights, violence against women and girls, gender inequality, child marriages, and female leadership. She works in 250 villages of Muzaffarnagar district. Her organization, Astitva Samajik Sansthan, has benefitted hundreds of women through various initiatives.