We are a collective of adolescent girls and women who have come together to address the growing sense of alienation and othering that we experienced in communities in Mumbai.
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Our Beginnings
Starting in the neighbourhood of Mumbra (a ghetto of Muslims on the outskirts of Mumbai) in 2012, Parcham’s football program was initiated to reclaim public spaces for girls and bring Muslim and non Muslim girls in one team to build trust and friendships.
“Tere maathe pe ye aanchal bahut hi khub hai lekin,
Tu is aanchal ka ek parcham bana leti to accha tha"
- Majaz
Our Mission
With the belief that the personal is political, Parcham engages with issues of exclusion of women from public spaces by claiming these spaces, visibilising our presence whilst engaging with the government towards creating inclusive cities through research and advocacy.
Our mission is to empower marginalised communities to access their fundamental rights and create spaces for dialogue among diverse sections in society and to collaborate with government and civil society towards justice and equity.
Our Work
Sports for Peace: Football training for girls across Mumbai’s eastern and western suburbs with explicit purpose of encouraging cooperation between different identities. In 2019, we launched the Parcham Football Academy in Mumbra.
Inclusive Cities: Through football training and tournaments for girls in open grounds, we have worked to normalise the presence of young girls in public space. As an extension we work with local government to initiate football programmes for girls in public schools as well as allocate space for girls to play since grounds were exclusively occupied by boys.
Citizenship Education: We promote secular thought and an understanding of the Constitutional rights and responsibilities and values such as empathy among children and youth. We manage a library for children to get them hooked to reading and to broaden their worldview.
Research and Publication: Parcham’s annual publications are an attempt to create awareness of the pluralism and diversity in the country. We document erased and forgotten histories to counter false narratives aimed at creating animosity.
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square metres allocated for the exclusive use of girls and women of Mumbra in 2019
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girls engaged with our football programme in Mumbai’s suburbs
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publications documenting erased and forgotten histories to counter false narratives aimed at creating animosity
Parcham Football Academy
In a major win in our efforts to create inclusive cities our advocacy led to a landmark decision for gender-specific urban planning when the Thane municipal corporation allotted a ground for the exclusive use by girls and women of the Mumbra. This ground was dubbed the Fatima bi Savitri bai Sports Ground.
With the inauguration of the ground we launched the Parcham Football Academy to professionalise our football training efforts.
Parcham in the Press
A playground in Mumbra, only for women
A field all to herself
Mumbra’s kids get the reading bug from ‘suitcase’ library
Football for these Indian women is more than a game; it's an inspiring social movement
These Young Muslim Women are Shaking Things Up
The Indian girls' football team challenging stereotypes
Get Involved
You could help us with organising our football academy, volunteer to coach, you could be our ambassador in creating awareness of our work in your networks and on social media or you could donate to support our activities.
For more information write to us at parchamcollective@gmail.com