Bhumika Women's Collective

Bhumika Women's Collective is a registered non-profit organisation, set up in 1995, that works across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to fight gender-based violence. Its vision is violence-free lives for women in the two states. Its mission focuses on gender equality and on helping women and children claim their rights, by pushing for a life of dignity and justice. It also works with adolescents through awareness, advocacy and community-based work. It has extended its services to transgender communities through dedicated helpdesks, and it describes its approach as rights-based, survivor-centred and community-driven.

Headquarters: Hyderabad, Telangana, India

Major Areas of Work

• Survivor support: Emotional support and crisis response for women and children facing violence, through support centres, special cells, a toll-free helpline and a One Stop Centre.

• Awareness and prevention: Awareness and sensitisation work, campaigns on issue-based and special days, and work to address public violence.

• Capacity building and systems strengthening: Training through its resource centre, networking and convergence work, and efforts to strengthen the systems that respond to violence against women.

• Adolescents and health: Strengthening adolescent federations and running health and empowerment programmes.

• Transgender inclusion: Dedicated helpdesks for the specific challenges transgender people face, especially gender-based violence.

Major Initiatives and Programmes

• Special Cells for Women and Children: Cells that give emotional support to women and children who have faced violence and help them rebuild their psychological well-being.

• Bhumika Helpline: A toll-free helpline (1800 425 2908) for women who need support.

• Sakhi One Stop Centre: Bhumika's work under the Government of India's Sakhi One Stop Centre scheme, which gives combined support to women affected by violence.

• Support to Acid Attacks Survivors: Dedicated support for survivors of acid attacks.

• Transgender helpdesks: Helpdesks that respond to the problems transgender people face, particularly gender-based violence.

• Wonder Women Icon Awards: Awards that recognise women who have made significant contributions to society.

Bhumika suits people who want to work directly on gender-based violence, from frontline counselling and helpline support to community awareness, training and advocacy with state systems. Its programmes range from support centres and One Stop Centre work to adolescent federations and transgender helpdesks. This gives staff experience of both crisis response and long-term prevention. Its rights-based, survivor-centred approach and long presence in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh make it a good fit for social workers, counsellors and community organisers who want field-level work on gender justice.