Tabassum Fathima is our fellow from Delhi.

She's a renowned social activist and worker. She is a politician and homemaker.

She says her upbringing was quite privileged where she was the only girl to get educated in a private school. Neighbours and kins questioned her father's decision to educate girls. She says “they said why are you sending your daughter to a private school and even objected to having a skirt for a school uniform”.

However her father disregarded such notions and continued to support his children.

However when Tabassum in class 12th her mother passed away. She was married before she could finish her exams.

However after marriage she suffered from verbal abuse from the hands of her mother in law and in-laws.

Her husband and father in law were supportive but didn't help much with her situation. “Somehow my mother-in-law assumed I came from a wealthy family but when I came to her house without any dowry her abuse increased day by day to the extent I had to lock myself up in my room. She even tried to separate me and my husband. But he was always supportive”.

When, Tabassum went to police, even the police didn't come to her and she became sure that she has to fight for herself and not depend on anyone

After becoming a mother to a daughter she faced more taunts and humiliation for not bearing a son.

However despite such an abusive environment she was able to finish her Bachelor's degree.

But social work and helping the poor became an important goal of her life.

She recalls her mother's teachings to her, who told her “we educated you not to earn money but to help the poor . As a Muslim woman you received education you must help those women who are not as privileged”.

She began helping poor parents who worked as domestic helpers or auto drivers help get their children the best education in private schools through EWS quota under RTE.

Out of over 10000 registration la over 8000 children have been successful in getting education with her support

She helped many poor families get proper documentation so that they could avail government schemes for Better health, education.

However one thing that angered Tabassum was the high level of corruption in all spheres.

“I didn't open any NGOs and continued to work alone as I have witnessed corruption within the NGO'S and it's a state of pity“ she says

“Poor people are denied access to hospitals even if it's a matter of life or death. Patients of the EWS and SC communities are abused when they want to avail free medicines. There's corruption even when children from poor households want to get scholarships. People have to keep visiting Magistrate office for their documents”

She realised if she has to fulfill her mother's wishes and work for the welfare of all she has to participate in politics but she saw corruption in the sphere of politics as well. She also faced a lot of backlash as well as discrimination for being a Muslim woman finally she contested elections for councillor.

“I had to become bolder and stronger to raise my voice against injustice and lackluster delivery of public service to poor people I still don't know how I got the courage but I do feel that politics is something i can make a career in and use my resources to help women as much as i can” she affirms.

She joined the Indira Fellowship to contribute towards increasing the political presence of women. While interacting with women she found that women are hesitant and shy to discuss politics. She feels it's difficult to create an organizational structure for women as women aren't empowered by society to take up political activities. “It is more natural to me to want to help women as a woman myself” she says.

She has a desire to build many “JACHA BACHA” kendra to help expectant mothers, new mothers, infants and toddlers access HealthCare. She wants this to be a part of political manifesto. She states “This is the most difficult phase in a woman's life, but the healthcare system doesn't cater sensitively to this period on top of that hospitals have long queues, the doctors get frustrated and swear at mothers... the conditions of hospitals are so bad there's 4 doctors per 600-1000 women, no proper demarcation among gynecology and other specialisations” .She also wants to help women who facing domestic violence and give a space to mothers, wives, daughters and sisters a space where they can express themselves better.”

She wants an effective, transparent and responsive public service delivery system in Delhi. “Ration cards, education, cleanliness, healthcare are essential rights of the poor citizens according to her.