Under the PUKAR's fellowship program 2010-11 a group of 8 highly motivated girls from a slum in Baiganwadi (Govandi) conducted a study on the discrimination that is meted to girls in education. Baiganwadi in Govandi is located in the eastern suburb of Mumbai and falls within the M Ward. Most of these girls were school drop out and came from conservative Muslim families in Baiganwdi. The girls belonged to one of the most neglected slums in Mumbai and live in an area where women face instances of gender violence. While 2 of the girls were engaged with a small NGO as field workers, the rest mostly stayed indoors.
As per the researchers some of the major reasons for girls to drop out from school are : 1) economic problems of families 2) early marriage 3) family and societal pressure 4) responsibilities at home, like various household chores, taking care of younger children etc. The study also highlighted some of the stories when their male siblings were more favorably treated.
