Our Story
Penn Collective Trust was born out of the collective aspiration of women activists, academics and community members committed to building a more equitable society where every woman can live with dignity, freedom and justice.
The Penn Collective Trust
Est. 2023 · Tamil Nadu, India
Our Core Beliefs
Our Vision
To build a just, inclusive, and participatory democracy where women and gender minorities meaningfully occupy leadership and decision-making spaces at all levels of governance.
Our Mission
To nurture, equip, and sustain a diverse pipeline of socially conscious leaders, particularly women and gender minorities from historically marginalized communities — through education, research, cultural engagement, mentorship, and ecosystem-building, grounded in constitutional values of equality, dignity, and justice.
Core Values
The Trust is guided by the following core values:
Constitutionalism
Commitment to Social Justice, Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, and Secularism. The Trust seeks to uphold and promote constitutional and human values that encourage responsible and ethical engagement with fellow citizens, the nation, and the broader ecological community.
Gender Justice
Feminist, queer-affirmative, and intersectional approaches to leadership and governance.
Equity and Inclusion
Proactive inclusion of SC/ST communities, religious minorities, persons with disabilities, transgender and non-binary persons, children and first-generation learners.
Dignity and Care
Safe, respectful, and supportive environments for all.
Integrity and Accountability
Ethical conduct, transparency, and responsible stewardship of public resources.
Collective Leadership
Collaboration, solidarity, empathy and kindness, sisterhood, non-judgemental attitude, passion and shared learning.
What We Do
Training & Capacity Building
We train women and youth on gender rights, legal literacy and community organising.
Campaigns & Advocacy
We run public campaigns to raise awareness on issues of gender-based violence and discrimination.
Community Organising
We support women in rural and urban communities to form collectives and take collective action.
Policy & Research
We conduct research and advocate for progressive policies that advance women's rights at the state level.
Scope of Work & Programmatic Approach
Board of Trustees
Join Our Movement
Volunteer, donate or partner with us to build a more just and equal society.
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