About Us

Manavi is a New Jersey-based women's rights organization committed to ending all forms of violence and exploitation against South Asian women living in the US.

Established in 1985, Manavi, which means "primal woman" in Sanskrit, was the first organization of its kind in the US to specifically address the unmet needs of South Asian women victims of violence. Manavi's programs involve direct service provisions for women survivors of violence, grassroots organization for social change within the community, and informing mainstream institutions and organizations in the US about how to better serve South Asian women. Through its work, Manavi ensures that women of South Asian descent in the US can exercise their fundamental right to live a life of dignity that is safe and free from violence.

Manavi Philosophy- Our Guiding Principles

Our underlying principles:

• Manavi believes in woman-centric advocacy: central to our work are woman experiencing violence. Through the past twenty-five years, Manavi's strategies and programs have been determined by the unmet and changing needs of South Asian women.
  
• Manavi recognizes that any woman could be a victim of abuse. Therefore, Manavi encourages advocates to challenge their own biases and be aware of the dynamics between the survivor and the advocate.
  
• Manavi is a secular organization. We provide services equally to all women and do not discriminate based on class, culture, nationality, religion, or sexuality.
  
• At Manavi, we take confidentiality extremely seriously. We respect the need/ preference of survivors who may not wish to disclose their identity. Maintaining anonimity is paramount in our work.