Mumbai, March 2025 — Actor and committed human rights advocate Sheena Chohan chose to observe International Women’s Day not with ceremonial events, but with direct, hands-on engagement in one of Asia’s largest informal settlements—Dharavi.
On the day dedicated to women’s achievements and gender equality, Sheena spent hours with school students, young artists, and community youth, facilitating open conversations about self-confidence, equality between genders, and the everyday relevance of fundamental human rights. Rather than delivering a conventional speech, she created space for dialogue, listening as much as she spoke, and distributed specially prepared educational booklets and kits that explain core concepts of dignity, justice, and equal treatment in simple, accessible language.
“Real progress begins when young people feel confident enough to speak up about equality,” Sheena said during the interactions. “Women’s Day reminds us that empowerment is not only about celebration—it’s about awareness, courage, and creating spaces where girls and boys grow up believing that respect and safety are fundamental values.”
A key part of the day’s program took place in collaboration with The Dharavi Dream Project, a youth-led creative learning initiative that uses hip-hop, music, dance, and storytelling to build confidence and community voice among Dharavi’s young residents. Bringing together students and emerging performers, the session explored how creative expression can serve as a powerful tool to discuss equality, challenge stereotypes, and amplify marginalized perspectives within densely populated urban neighbourhoods.
Later, Sheena conducted and supported a focused seminar with Udayan Care, an organisation long active in providing education, mentorship, and life-skills support to vulnerable children and youth, many of whom are growing up without stable family environments. The seminar emphasised practical knowledge of rights, the importance of self-advocacy, and pathways to independent, dignified futures.
Throughout the day’s activities, the underlying message remained consistent: International Women’s Day should be more than symbolic. For Sheena, it is an occasion to plant seeds of awareness and courage—especially among adolescent girls and boys—so they internalise the belief that equality and personal safety are non-negotiable rights, not privileges.
By choosing Dharavi as the location for her Women’s Day initiative, Sheena deliberately stepped into a space often associated with economic hardship and limited access to structured education. Her presence, paired with tangible resources and interactive sessions, aimed to counter that narrative by showing young residents that knowledge of rights is itself a form of power.
Observers familiar with her earlier advocacy work note that this approach reflects a consistent pattern: using her public platform to move beyond awareness-raising into direct community action. Whether through educational materials, creative workshops, or structured seminars, the emphasis remains on long-term impact—equipping the next generation with the language, confidence, and understanding needed to claim and protect their rights.
As the day concluded, participants left with more than printed booklets; many carried new questions, fresh perspectives, and the quiet realisation that change often begins in small, intentional conversations held in familiar surroundings.
For Sheena Chohan, the work does not end with one day. She has indicated that initiatives like these are part of a continuing effort to reach young people across different communities, using dialogue, creativity, and education to reinforce the principle that dignity, equality, and human rights belong to everyone—without exception.
