By Dr. Mamta Shaha
INFORMATION
JAINA Women’s Committee
Dr. Mamta Shaha is a board-certified Ophthalmologist (Bombay University) and a board-certified Dr. Mamta Shaha a co-chair of JAINA’s Women’s Shemedical is a Clinical Assistant pediatrician (USA)isShe is Assistant Professor on theCommittee. faculty of NYU center, New York. Professor of Pediatrics, NYU Medical center, NY She is actively involved with JAINA for more than 25 years. Currently she serves as co-chair of the Women’s Committee and chairs the Media Production Committee. She is member of International Council for women where she actively promotes Jain values.
JAINA’s Women’s Committee was established in October 2015 and became operational in January 2016. After conducting women related sessions at every Jaina Convention since 2005, It became apparent that women of Jain community were not immune to common problems faced by women of other communities. Women’s problems are unique and not acknowledged in today’s patriarchal society. Though Jain community is highly accomplished and well placed, women’s problems are usually ignored. There is a tendency to sweep them under the rug. In 2015 JAINA convention session, we came across dire problems of some young women contemplating suicide. Those women were counselled by us, and we could avert the dire situation for them. This made it urgent to have a platform for women at national level. Developing an understanding of self and standing up for one’s rights is the inner strength every woman needs. With the intention of providing that inner strength to every Jain woman, JAINA women’s committee was established.
Our Mission •
To provide a platform to all women followers of Jain way of life to organize as a group.
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To promote personal growth, social wellbeing, and spiritual progress of all
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To promote peace and harmony at different levels - family, community, nation and international through nonviolence/Ahimsa
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To collaborate with other women groups to work towards common goal of promoting peace and equality for women.
National Committee Chairs: Dr. Mamta Shaha and Pramodaben Chitrabhanu
National Committee Members:
Padma Shetti (New York), Madhuben Sheth (Atlanta), Ujwal Shinghavi (Houston), Shobha Vora (San Francisco), Bakulaben Maniar, (Los Angeles), Kalpana Sanghvi (New York), Shilpa Salgia (Calgary, Canada) and Kirtida Shah (Toronto, Canada)
Local Chapters
Since 2016 we have established local chapters at many major Jain Centers across US and Canada. This makes us globally relevant, socially responsible, and locally reachable. Our purpose is to have a platform where women can gather, discuss everyday issues. They can be involved in creative activities, network and socialize in an intellectual way. As women we must learn to value ourselves. It does not depend on how someone else thinks of me but what do I think of myself, counts the most.
The local center women’s groups are active in having different activities like donation of warm clothes to homeless, providing vegetarian food during Thanksgiving to soup kitchens and shelters. Celebrating Women’s Day, women health and yoga day, seminars on women related issues etc.
(Houston Women's Group making blessings bags for homeless)
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