CYDA’s NTL program provides targeted training and mentorship that not only equips women like Parveen for employment but also reshapes mindsets, challenges patriarchal norms, and restores dignity through new opportunities. The support of Bajaj Finserv and the dedicated efforts led by Swati Shirtar, Program Manager of CYDA’s Gender Unit, have been instrumental in enabling this transformation.
In a society where job roles are often defined by rigid gender norms, women like Parveen are rewriting the script. CYDA’s Non-Traditional Livelihood (NTL) programs empower young women to challenge societal norms and enter traditionally male-dominated fields, such as security, demonstrating their strength and resilience.
Traditionally, security guard roles have been perceived as the domain of men—positions that require vigilance, physical presence, and the ability to respond to risk. Women entering this field are not only questioned for their skills but often dismissed due to ingrained gender biases. However, such stereotypes are gradually being dismantled as more women like Parveen step into these roles, equipped with the necessary soft and hard skills to excel.
Parveen’s Story: From Tragedy to Tenacity
Parveen’s life is a striking example of how gender, economic hardship and societal norms intersect to create formidable challenges—yet also opportunities for transformation.
Parveen, a woman with a 7th-grade education, lives with her sister and their ailing grandmother. Her grandmother’s battle with blood cancer has placed emotional and financial strains on the family. At just 24, she was married to a welder, whose struggle with alcoholism brought instability rather than support. The situation worsened when, just two weeks ago, her husband passed away in Lohegaon due to alcohol-related complications.
Despite her grief and the heavy burden of being the sole provider, Parveen refused to succumb to despair.Just days after her decision, she embraced an opportunity that many women might overlook: she stepped into the role of a security guard assistant at a mall near Pune Station. She secured an income of Rs. 20,500 per month and inspired other women to explore diverse career paths.
Soft Skills: The Foundation for Change
What enabled Parveen to make this leap was the support of CYDA’s Non-Traditional Livelihood (NTL) program. As part of a community outreach initiative, she was enrolled in a 5-day soft skills training program. This safe and empowering space allowed her to process her grief, rediscover her inner strength, and reimagine her future.
In this training, she gained critical skills—effective communication, stress management, decision-making, and assertiveness—all of which are essential in navigating a male-dominated workspace. More importantly, it helped shift her internal narrative: from being a dependent widow to a self-assured professional with agency.
Hard Skills: Building Professional Competence
Following the soft skills component, Parveen enrolled in a 5-day technical training module tailored for security guard assistants. This practical training covered essential aspects, including situational awareness, conflict resolution, emergency protocols, and customer service. With this, Parveen not only enhanced her employability but also gained confidence in handling real-world challenges.
This dual-track approach—focusing on both soft and hard skills—ensures that women like Parveen are not just trained, but transformed. They are ready to enter, endure, and excel in non-traditional professions that promise better income, visibility, and dignity.
Gender Lens: Challenging the Patriarchal Norms
Her story challenges deep-seated gender stereotypes that see women as too “weak” for physically demanding or high-responsibility roles. By occupying a uniformed, public-facing role, she asserts her visibility and power in spaces that have long been reserved for men.
This is not without resistance. Many women face skepticism from employers, families, and society at large. Questions about their “safety” or “appropriateness” for the role still loom large. But every woman who enters such spaces chips away at these barriers, making it easier for others to follow.
A Ripple Effect of Empowerment
Parveen’s journey is a beacon for many other women navigating grief, poverty, and gender-based constraints. Her courage to rise, learn, and lead sets an example for communities grappling with change. Her success underscores the role of organizations like CYDA, whose structured interventions are not only skill-based but rights-based—helping women claim their space, voice, and economic independence in sectors previously deemed unsuitable for them.
From Grief to Grit
Parveen’s story shows that when women are given access to the right training and support, they can not only survive trauma but also thrive in roles that challenge social expectations. In breaking gender stereotypes, women like Parveen are not just securing buildings—they are securing futures. For themselves, for their families, and for the generations of girls who will one day see uniforms not as barriers, but as opportunities.
