Breakthrough at the frontline of bridging the vaccine inequality gap in India

18th November, 2021: Despite being tested positive for COVID-19, women in tier 2 cities, rural areas and city outskirts continue to carry out household chores in addition to being ill-treated or misguided about various government-led health initiatives. Combined with the existing social stigma around menstrual hygiene, women are also hesitant to get vaccinated against COVID, which had led to a 12% gender gap in India until August 2021 with 31 million more men than women being vaccinated. Breakthrough, a global human rights organization has come forward to bridge this vaccine hesitancy gap among women.

With the help of localized campaigns and communications, Breakthrough works with Anganwadi and ASHA workers to bust vaccination myths. It also collaborates with the local youth leaders to build their skills, thereby enabling them to empower the women in their communities.

Breakthrough is also addressing the problem of young girls who have dropped out of education and are being forced into an early marriage due to the school closures that was a major repercussion of during the lockdown. In order to ensure that decades of progress with respect to improving gender outcomes does not get reversed due to COVID, the NGO has launched an advocacy initiative called ‘Chain of Action’. Chain of Action, is a chain of change makers, who lend their voice in support of the issue and donate towards the cause.

The Chain of Action initiative helmed by patrons Priya Paul, Tarini Jindal Handa, Shweta Bhosale and Anjum Jung has already received support from several eminent personalities who are lending their voice to amplify Breakthrough’s mission that no women or girl should be left behind. Cause Ambassadors such as Alpana Kirloskar, Manisha Jaitha, Shirin Paul, Ryena Advani, Vikram Goyal, Swapnali Bhosale, Tanvi Shete and Sumati Raheja have extended their support to the Chain of Action campaign.

“The #ChainOfAction campaign embodies Breakthrough’s belief in the need for everyone to get involved in bringing an end to discrimination against women and girls. Now, more than ever, we need people to join hands to address the devastating impact of Covid-19 on this vulnerable segment. Girls are being systematically pushed out of school and into early marriage due to the economic consequences of the pandemic. Women’s vaccination rates continue to lag those of their male counterparts as social norms don’t allow them to prioritise their own health. We can change this together – by in this Chain of Action that is committed to raising awareness and funds for the issue. We are humbled and inspired by the incredible support received for this campaign so far and look forward to having many more people join in.” – says Sohini Bhattacharya, CEO of Breakthrough.

Adds Tarini Jindal, Patron for the cause, “Breakthrough is working tirelessly across 4 states and 13 districts to prevent early marriage. I am supporting this campaign because girls deserve to lead a life of choice and not fear. Let’s help build a world free from gender-based discrimination and violence”

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About Breakthrough

Breakthrough is a global human rights organization working to end violence against women across the country. Actively nurturing community dialogues around the issue of keeping girls in school and stopping early marriage, particularly because COVID-19, Breakthrough works towards the dissemination of multiple positive campaigns, through digital media. It tirelessly works towards building a generation that questions gender roles and stereotypes and strives to embrace equal opportunities, irrespective of gender; working with youth leaders and engaging with the communities to intervene during social injustice.