New Delhi: Jaswant Kaur, a social worker and executive director, New Delhi-based NGO, Deepalaya, is among the top five finalists for the 4th Martha Farrel Award 2020 in the individual category.
Kaur is recognized as the most promising individual finalists for mobilizing women and youth to raise awareness of health and hygiene issues.
Her work revolves around women and youth from Delhi’s informal settlements. Martha Farrel Foundation (MFF) recognizes Kaur’s innovative education and health programs that raise awareness and drive the message of self-reliance home.
“The award will help Deepalaya in getting one hundred and fifty thousand rupees in case I win. The money will be utilized for promoting maternal health and neonatal health,” she said.
Deepalaya is working on issues affecting the urban and rural poor, with a special focus on children, women empowerment, education and institutional care in Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. A. J. Philip is the secretary and chief executive of Deepalaya.
Kaur is also a journalist and journalism educator. She regularly contributes to Indian Currents, an English weekly magazine published from New Delhi, Malayala Manorama Yearbook. Her articles have also been published in the New Indian Express, The Tribune as well.
The virtual award presentation will take place on October 10. The ceremony was originally scheduled for April but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Martha Farrell Foundation felicitates individuals and organizations that have made valuable contributions in areas of work related to gender equality and women’s empowerment.
The Martha Farrell Award for Excellence in Women’s Empowerment was instituted in 2016 to honor Martha Farrell (1959-2015) and her ideals.
It recognizes mid-career individuals and committed organizations from across sectors — government, business, industry and civil society.
Over the years, several enterprising individuals and organizations have been recognized for their innovative approach to gender and development.
The annual award, jointly instituted by MFF, Participatory Research in Asia, and Rural Development Trust, will be awarded to two individuals and two organizations.
A total of 149 nominations from 20 states of India was received, where the selection of winners was made by an eminent seven-member jury.
Farrell was a passionate civil society leader, renowned and respected in India and around the world for her work on women’s rights, gender equality and adult education.
She was among 14 people killed in a terrorist attack on a guest house in Kabul, Afghanistan on May 13, 2015. She had been leading a gender training workshop with the Aga Khan Foundation in Kabul at the time of the attack.