17-year-old Aashvi Gambhir reveals how the steering wheel changed the gear of womens lives

Women’s Empowerment: Issues related to women have always been highly sensitive, encompassing domestic violence, dowry-related conflicts, or marital control. Often, women face a multitude of challenges stemming from limited access to education and job opportunities. This struggle intensifies for illiterate women who experience domestic violence, further compounded by the responsibilities of raising children and tending to household responsibilities.  

Nonetheless, Aashvi Gambhir, a 17-year-old student at the Shri Ram School Aravali, Gurugram, has taken it upon herself to make a significant difference in the lives of women affected by socioeconomic disparities. Aashvi embarked on her journey at a young age, conducting extensive research on the challenges faced by women in society. She initiated ‘Project Pehchaan,’ (https://www.projectpehchaan.in) which empowers women to stand on their own feet. Zee News Digital recently had the opportunity to speak with Aashvi, during which she shed light not only on her project but also on her journey.

When asked why she chose to focus on this particular issue amid a myriad of women-related concerns, Aashvi responded, “Gurugram is an economically dynamic city with a lot of booming industries and many high-paying jobs. However, there are many villages and slums in and around the area that make it impossible to separate the two. During the pandemic, I witnessed the tangential effects of poverty on such women who lost their jobs. This also coincided with a surge in domestic violence cases. This prompted me to contemplate how these women could regain their independence. Therefore, I launched Project Pehchaan after reaching out to BluSmart, following which I collaborated with Maruti Driving School to teach women how to drive and subsequently get them hired as driver-partners. This initiative not only grants them their own identity but also empowers them through social and financial mobility.”

Extensive interaction with women from such at-risk communities was thus the genesis of my research project ‘Analysing the Impact of Education and Employment on Domestic Violence Amongst Women in India’.

‘Make access to divorce more equal’

“Surprisingly, one of my key research findings was that employed women were more susceptible to domestic violence. Beyond receiving backlash from their families for this step towards independence, one of the other reasons for this in a developing country like India is the unequal access to divorce. This direct relationship between employment and violence is not typically seen in developed nations. The government can diversify health insurance schemes like the PM-JAY to support domestic violence victims from financially weaker backgrounds. Further, it is very important to give more opportunities to women. The recently enacted Women’s Reservation Bill reserving 33 per cent of seats for women will also give them opportunities to come forward. This can help reduce the phenomenon of not giving women opportunities simply because they are women.

When asked about Project Pehchaan, she said that it started over a year ago and has changed the lives of many women like Saroj. But during this time she saw that women are burdened with social, legal and familial issues. Not everyone has favourable circumstances to fulfil their dreams. Saroj was supported by her husband a lot, which helped her successfully get employed. Some of the other women who completed their driving training unfortunately could not continue because of household responsibilities, divorce proceedings or lack of spousal support. Today, Saroj, who was previously unemployed with only her husband’s income supporting her family, is now one of the first female drivers at BluSmart in Gurgaon.

Watch her documentary “Project Pehchaan: Road to Empowerment” to see the journey of Saroj and Project Pehchaan’s women here: https://youtu.be/mzz8gsNCTKE?si=pGuBH608gOCGJ5_4

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