Jagori

Jagori was born in 1984 from a simple yet radical idea: create a space where women could name their realities, understand their oppression, and find ways to fight back. Founded by seven activists in Delhi, the organisation set out to spread feminist consciousness through creative, accessible means—and over four decades later, that mission continues to shape everything it does.

The name itself—Jagori, meaning "awaken, women"—captures the spirit of an organisation that refuses to see injustice as inevitable. From the beginning, Jagori positioned itself as both a pioneer and a fellow traveller within India's women's movement, contributing to campaigns against dowry, sati, domestic violence, and sexual assault. It has championed the rights of single women, pushed for safer public transport, and consistently centred the voices of marginalised communities.

Jagori's work spans multiple fronts. It provides direct support services to survivors of violence, accompanying them to police stations, courts, and shelters. It runs a robust training program that builds feminist perspectives among NGO workers, grassroots leaders, students, and government officials. The organisation's resource centre houses one of the most comprehensive collections of feminist literature and research in the country, serving activists, researchers, and organisations nationwide.

One of Jagori's most recognised contributions has been its groundbreaking work on women's safety in urban spaces. In 2009, in partnership with UN Women and the Government of Delhi, Jagori launched the Safe City Free of Violence Against Women and Girls Initiative. The baseline study surveyed over 5,000 residents and documented the daily negotiations women undertake just to move through their own cities. This work laid the foundation for the Safe Delhi Campaign and influenced urban safety policies not just in India, but globally. The initiative is now part of a UN Women global program being implemented in five cities worldwide.

Jagori also works extensively in rural and tribal communities, supporting women's collectives, conducting safety audits, organising public hearings, and linking women leaders to broader social movements. It engages men and boys in redefining masculinity and ending violence against women. Through campaigns like 16 Days of Activism and One Billion Rising, Jagori connects local struggles to global movements.

The organisation has been recognised with multiple honours, including the Roland Berger Human Dignity Award and the Nari Shakti Puraskar from the President of India. But beyond the accolades, Jagori's real legacy lies in the thousands of women and young activists it has trained, the policies it has shaped, and the communities it has empowered to dream of—and fight for—a world free from violence and discrimination.