Gender based violence is one of the most significant mechanisms by which the state and the society retain their power over women, their lives and their choices. It cuts across all ages, countries, nationalities, classes, ethnic groups, social divisions, literacy levels, and its presence looms large in all spheres of life - public and private in rural or urban area. To end all violence against women and approach towards a gender equitable society Oxfam International launched the We Can Campaign in South Asia and as a part of this campaign in India an alliance in West Bengal was formed in 2004 with Self Help Group Promotional Forum, Nishtha, and Thoughtshop Foundation.

SHG Promotional Forum is a mouthpiece of Self Help Group Women, their rights, pursuits, perspective and their aspirations and in one word it is the mouthpiece of women empowerment. This entails questioning the prevailing gender based power equations between men and women in communities. The hugely critical important objectives of WE CAN Campaign in the lives of the poor and marginalized women and the wide spread and grass root presence of the SHGPF with their committed network have crystallized well. These two great forces SHGPF and the Campaign engaged in "combating discrimination and violence against women" have an immense scope to lead to 'women's voices and empowerment'.

Forum has been able to generate a great deal of awareness and enthusiasm about WE CAN Campaign and its objectives. The grass root community based institutions of the poor and marginalized women, which were already in existence got a new lease of enthusiasm in addressing the 'discrimination and violence against women. Some small but effective changes have been initiated, which would not have occurred but for the campaign the women and men are able to identify and help take notice of instances and nuances that were generally not regarded as violence. This is due to the deeply engraved belief that fundamentally women are of less value than men. Most importantly identifying domestic violence is the lesson through campaign that has helped people acknowledge its presence and take actions to put it to an end. SHGPF currently have 37,000 changemakers including a team of devoted changemakers who take the lead to fight against violence women in different forms, involving various stakeholders in remote West Bengal continuously.