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3 Middle Road Hastings Kolkata – 700022, West Bengal, India
About Us
Origin
Acid Survivors and Women Welfare Foundation (formerly Acid Survivors Foundation India) was established in 2010. Since then ASWWF has been expanding its scope and range of services to support survivors of all forms of violence and atrocities against women, including trafficking and domestic violence.
ASWWF – Empowering Survivors, Preventing Violence, Restoring Dignity
ASWWF is formerly known as Acid Survivors Foundation India, is a leading not-for-profit,
non-governmental organisation working for the prevention of Acid burn and other forms of
violence against women in India since 2010.
ASWWF works towards the development and welfare of women. It promotes a social environment
conducive to elimination of gender violence and acts as a forum for advocacy for such cases.
ASWWF espouses a firm legal basis for prosecution of offenders. It also advocates for
prescription of national guidelines for treatment, aftercare and rehabilitation of
survivors of acid violence and other forms of violence. The foundation has plans to open
more chapters and offices to further enhance the outreach of its mission to rebuild the
lives of all acid and other gender based violence survivors. ASWWF continues its journey in
rebuilding lives.
Acid assault has a more lasting and devastating psycho-physical impact on the survivors than other forms of violence. The saying that time is a great healer does not lessen the traumatized woman’s woes who has to encounter shame and suffering for her very existence. ASWWF is trying to make the lives of the survivors a little easier and better. In order to do that and provide holistic care to the survivors ASWWF along with partner organizations is working on the theory of “TOC” (Theory of Change) which has been jointly formulated.
“TOC” envisaged the following approaches:
- Awareness programmes, prevention campaigns and media attention reduces the incidence of attacks and create greater awareness about the causes and harmful consequences of such violence.
- Effectively implemented legislation reduces the incidence of attacks and increases access to justice for survivors, helping them to feel safer.
- Medical attention and counselling for survivors improves their health and quality of life.
- Support for rehabilitation and reintegration, including the provision of vocational and educational opportunities and livelihood skills help to improve survivors’ quality of life and enables them to live as a part of society.
- Providing survivors with life skills and knowledge about their rights increase their self-confidence and can enable some survivors to become effective and compelling advocates of change.
- Strengthening the evidence base of acid burns violence will contribute to more effective advocacy and better informed policy making in tackling violence against women and girls nationally and globally.ASWWF is formerly known as Acid survivors Foundation India, is a leading not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation working for the prevention of Acid burn and other forms of violence against women in India since 2010.
Our Mission
- To rebuild their lives for a better tomorrow through advocacy, collaborations, by giving medical and psycho-social care and by helping them heal and recover from the trauma.
- Eradication of any kind of social, physical or psychological violence against women in the society.
- Awakening of the inner-self and empowering the disadvantaged women through proper guidance and holistic support.
- To promote an enlightened attitude towards human rights, gender equality through various means. The foremost objectives have always been collecting data, identifying partners, setting up chapters and associates, generating awareness and raising resources to keep up working for the survivors. We travelled a long way and still there are miles to go
- A Situational Analysis Report on acid violence was prepared for the first time in India, by ASWWF.
- ASWWF has prepared a Trauma Informed Care Kit (TICK) containing comprehensive guide, the first of its kind in the world, for treatment of traumatized survivors of acid and thermal burns.
Our Work
ASWWF endeavours to provide a better life to the disadvantaged women, encourages and supports them, so that in future they will not have to put up with cruelties and tortures because of their helplessness. ASWWF supports/assists the survivors in following areas:
Medical support
ASWWF provides financial assistance for treatment and surgeries, offers counselling and psychiatric care, and extends logistical support to survivors undergoing outstation medical treatments.
Legal Support
ASWWF provides legal guidance for filing cases and FIRs, assists survivors in pursuing justice, helps obtain compensation, and undertakes interventions and Public Interest Litigations (PILs) to support the cause.
Rehabilitation
ASWWF supports survivors through educational assistance, skill development, job placement, self-employment guidance, and grants for income-generating activities to promote sustainable livelihoods.
