Every morning, a quiet revolution unfolds inside a modest two-storey building in Rajasthan’s Ajmer.
Women of all ages, once bound by the shackles of child marriage, now walk into the office of the Mahila Jan Adhikar Samiti (MJAS), an NGO dedicated to empowering women and girls. Some pick up cameras and head out to shoot, while others settle in front of computer screens to edit their films. Together, they are scripting new futures – one frame at a time.
At the office, over 30 women are learning the craft of filmmaking and editing. Many are the first in their families to hold a camera and turn the lens on the world they inhabit.
The NGO – founded in 1997 and based in Ajmer, Tonk, and Bhilwara districts of Rajasthan – emerged from grassroots movements led by women who fought for land rights and against caste discrimination, child marriage, and honour killings.
Today, it has a strong presence in several blocks across the three districts, focusing on digital literacy, leadership programmes, and awareness initiatives on gender equality and domestic violence. MJAS has built deep connections with the women in these areas, providing them with a platform to voice their concerns and drive positive change in their lives and communities.
