Akanksha Tiwari: The Woman Who Dared To Break Barriers

In the quiet villages of Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh, change was a distant dream. Women remained confined to their homes. Child marriages stole away futures. Education was a privilege, not a right.

Akanksha Tiwari grew up witnessing these struggles firsthand. But unlike many, she refused to accept them as fate. “Gaon mein reh ke, gaon ke logon ke saath, gaon ka vikas chahte hai”—she wanted to bring change from within.

With a Master’s in Social Work, she began her journey as a community mobilizer with PACE in 2013, working across 50 Gram Panchayats. But her transformation began after attending the We the People Abhiyan (WTPA) training. The training strengthened her understanding of constitutional values and sharpened her ability to engage with governance structures.

She had always believed in justice, equality, and freedom, but the training gave her the confidence to put these beliefs into action. She learned how to use constitutional frameworks to challenge deep-rooted social norms, and more importantly, she realized she was not alone in her fight. There was a larger movement of citizen champions like her, working towards a more just society.

When she started working with Panchayats, the first doors she knocked on refused to open. The Sarpanchs—elected village heads—dismissed her, ignored her presence in meetings, and refused to organize the monthly committees that were meant to serve the people. Villagers didn’t see the point in attending Gram Sabhas. Women hesitated to step outside their homes. And caste barriers ran so deep that even in Self-Help Group (SHG) meetings, women from different castes refused to sit together.

She took a different approach. She spoke the language of the Sarpanchs, showing them that a well-run village would bring them recognition. She engaged with women, making them see that their voices mattered. And she continued to remind people that their rights were not favors—they were guaranteed by the Constitution.

It was a slow, difficult process. But then, the first cracks in the wall of resistance began to appear.

One day, she and her yuva naagrik netas decided to challenge centuries of division with a simple yet powerful act—sharing a meal.

They went door to door, asking villagers to contribute whatever they could—chawal, daal, atta. On the day of the Samuhik Tehri Bhoj, the villagers gathered. The fire was lit. The tehri was cooked, steaming and fragrant. And then, something remarkable happened.

People of all castes—upper, lower, in between—sat together. They ate from the same plates. They laughed. They talked.

Even the Sarpanchs and MLAs, who had once resisted her presence, joined.

For the first time, the village had tasted what unity felt like.

Not all battles are against the system. Some are against mindsets that have ruled for generations.

In one of the Gram Panchayats, a woman was elected Sarpanch, but she was just a name on paper. Her husband—a man who had held power for years—made all the decisions. She was expected to stay silent.

At a public meeting, the husband confidently declared that his wife’s presence wasn’t needed. That’s when Akanksha stood up.

"She is the elected Sarpanch. The Constitution gives her the right to lead. She WILL sit in these meetings.”

There was silence. The resistance was real. But Akanksha didn’t back down.

With time, the Mahila Sarpanch started attending meetings. At first hesitantly, then firmly. She began making her own decisions. She found her voice.

This moment was a turning point for Akanksha too. Before attending the WTPA training, she had always believed in gender equality, but she lacked the legal and constitutional knowledge to back her arguments. Now, she had the tools—and the courage—to challenge patriarchal norms with confidence.

For Akanksha, this journey wasn’t just about the villages. It changed something inside her.

She had one daughter. And for a long time, she felt ashamed. Society had taught her that having a son was better, that a daughter was a burden.

But as she fought for women’s rights, something shifted within her.

"I was wrong," she admits. "Sons and daughters are equal. My daughter is not less than anyone. And I will raise her to be strong."

Today, Akanksha has directly impacted 460 people. And yet, she believes this is just the beginning.

“One training is not enough,” she says. Many young people in her villages still struggle to connect their personal struggles with their constitutional rights. She dreams of more workshops, refresher trainings, and a stronger collective of citizen champions.

Through her work, she has faced resistance, humiliation, and moments of doubt. But she has also built a movement—one conversation, one meeting, and one bold step at a time.

Because real change doesn’t come easily, it is fought for. It is earned.

And Akanksha Tiwari is ready for the fight.

The above story has been written and published with the explicit consent of the individual involved. All facts presented are based on WTPA's direct interaction with the individual, ensuring accuracy and integrity in our reporting.