Structural inequality and gender based violence are some of the leading causes of mental health issues such as anxiety, depression and various disorders.Women are also more likely to face abuse - physical, verbal or sexual - which often goes untreated, contributing to further stress and mental health issues. The Lancet’s report on ‘Gender differentials and state variations in suicide deaths in India: the Global Burden of Disease Study 1990–2016’ demonstrated that India accounted for more that third of suicide deaths among women. The suicide rate among Indian women is over double the global average .

Mental health issues and illiteracy together make a dangerous combination. The 2011 Census found that one in three women could not read or write. Among the many drawbacks of lower literacy, a key disadvantage is that increases vulnerability to common mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression. Women are further pushed to low paying jobs or continue working in their own homes as fulfilling responsibilities, which are often undervalued, unaccounted and unpaid.

Addressing illiteracy and mental disorders together, is like killing two birds with one stone. A feasibility study by University of Canterbury, New Zealand in partnership with King George Medical University, Lucknow and DEVI Sansthan, Lucknow demonstrates that community groups can teach literacy effectively, and make a meaningful difference in women’s lives. Run by community volunteers, the classes provided training in functional literacy and numeracy, with add on modules on health , nutrition and budgeting.

Group literacy provides an opportunity to form social connections with neighbours, and the chit chat sessions also lead to discussion on serious issues sometime. Coming together has social effects, human beings are essentially tribe people, now isolated at the large scale and have been dependent on technology to evade boredom. When you are an illiterate woman and perhaps a mother as well, your entire time is occupied in gousehold work and caring for others.

Making friends with fellow women, literacy facilitators occasionally raising critical issues such as lack of healthcare, domestic violence, or lack of quality education for their children were the common areas of interest. The women have gained voice and space by becoming part of group literacy classes. A common demand has been to extend these classes, so they can learn further .

An initial challenge has been to bring all these women together, who hesitated to mingle with other women given the caste barriers, previous conflicts among themselves or strong control by the family who restrained women from attending the classes. Gradually women realized the benefits of learning together and found innovative ways to bypass these constraints. The early results of the study show, the social bonding amongst women have strengthened, some of them have become good friends, women feel happier to attend the classes and their self-confidence and communication skills have shown significant improvement.