There is a great gender-divide in India. Women are marginalized, disempowered; suffer from hunger and over 120 million women live in poverty. Women’s illiteracy rate is substantially higher than men’s, as women are far less likely to be educated than men. But there has been a recent escalation of self-help cooperatives, microfinance institutions, among other efforts to support women and female children. Self Employed Women’s Association organizes women workers for full employment helping women achieve work security, income security, food security and social security. The Meena Project, with help from UNICEF, is addressing issues of esteem and education of the girl child.