Women often develop mental health problems from their position in families. The stresses of trying to care for a family when you are desperately poor can also cause mental health problems.

With little status, women cannot often express their concerns, find a way out of their difficult situation or access treatment. With little hope, despair and depression set in.

Yellavva lives in a slum in Bangalore. At thirteen she was forced into an arranged marriage. She didn’t want to be married so she ran away from home. Eventually she was found and the ceremony continued. Her husband turned out to be an alcoholic and he was abusive towards Yellavva. With no one to turn to and with no way out of the marriage, soon depression started to set in.

After the birth of her daughter, Yellavva became very ill. She became a recluse, refusing to do any household chores, wash herself, or take care of her daughter. Her husband divorced her. Her family blamed her for the breakdown of her marriage. With no support, she descended into poverty and the slum where she lives today.

Women need particular support to help them access the treatment they need so that they can overcome the obstacles stopping them from getting help and regain a normal life once again.

Women also need support as carers. The role of carer most usually falls to women (and in particular, a daughter) as caring for ill family members is seen as an extension of their domestic role.

Caring for a mentally ill family member can be a very emotional and stressful time. Women need support in helping to care for their family members so that mentally ill people can be properly looked after and the carers themselves can be successfully supported.

Women are often denied a voice in the family. Through consultation, we give them back a voice so that they can express their concerns and needs.

Additionally, post-natal depression can be a particular problem for women. After the birth of a child, depression can set in. With psychiatric services often a large distance away, accessing treatment is made all the more difficult when there is a new born baby to take care of.

In this situation, women need local community-based care so they can easily access the help they need.

BasicNeeds is fully committed to promoting gender balance and equality and it is one of the five ‘Change Criteria’ against which we measure the impact of our work.