Mr. Mathew Weinberg, Director of the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity, addressing a seminar on 'Valuing Spirituality in Development'. This seminar was jointly organized with the National Foundation for India and the Foundation for Universal Responsibility >>

The main aim of the BOAW is to influence the processes towards world peace through the advancement of women and children and influence development policies and programmes

Its main areas of priority are as follows:

• Survival, protection, development, participation and education of all children and of the girl child in particula.
• Eradication of violence against women.
• The dynamics of family life.
• Partnership of men and women towards community development and poverty eradication.
• The role of women in the peace process.

The overall objectives of the Bahá'í Office for the Advancement of Women are:

1- Network with the government bodies, United Nations, organisations of civil society, social organisations, academic and voluntary agencies, that are working in the field of women empowerment and child development and interface with them in joint conferences and seminars to influence policies and programmes.

2- Develop and print a newsletter focusing on the themes of partnership between men and women, the importance of the education of children and in particular of the girl child and the importance of family life, the role of consultation as a means to conflict resolution, equality in decision making bodies and creating violence free families. The newsletter entitled, 'Two Wings' is published quarterly.

3- Network with State and local Bahá'í Councils/State and local Women's Committees and the National Bahá'í Development Institutes towards the holistic development of women and children through eradication of illiteracy, education of children and specially of the girls, economic empowerment of women, health education and community development programmes focusing on bringing about attitudinal changes.

4- Participate in consultative meets with the government, organisations of civil society, social organisation and United Nations bodies on the issues of capacity building at the individual, community and institutional levels.
· Collaborate with other organisations/ and with Bahá'í network in conducting seminars and workshops in various parts of the country pertaining to various aspects of the areas of concern as identified by the Office.

5- Train human resources to carry forward the 'Campaign for the Advancement of Women', based on the training manual, 'Equal Wings'. The campaign involves both men and women, is non-threatening in nature and effects a positive change in behaviour of men, women and society towards women. 

A seminar on 'Traditional Media - A Tool for Attitudinal Change Towards Girls and Women' organized in partnership with UNIFEM >>>

The Bahá'í Office for the Advancement of Women is also serving as the Secretariat for the Promotion of the Discourse on Science, Religion and Development in India. It collaborates with partner organisations of the colloquium in order to create unity of thought on a new development paradigm that draws on resources of both the knowledge systems of science and religion in initiating and sustaining the process of individual and societal transformation.