Her Voice: Shalini Kanwar Chand’s Mission To Redefine Women’s Health And Empowerment

Her Voice is where care, courage, and community come together. This recently launched platform redefines women’s health by going beyond hospitals to focus on dignity, awareness, and emotional strength. Through mental wellness programs, financial literacy, vocational training, and community initiatives, it creates spaces for women to heal, learn, and grow with confidence.

Founded by Shalini Kanwar Chand, Director at Artemis Hospitals and President of the Artemis Health Sciences Foundation, Her Voice empowers women to make informed choices about their bodies, lives, and futures. As it expands its reach, Shalini Kanwar Chand reflects on what inspired the foundation, how it’s changing conversations around women’s health, and its future.

1. Her Voice talks about dignity, confidence, and opportunity. How do you define true empowerment in this context?

I believe that a woman is truly empowered when she feels heard, seen, and empowered to make her own decisions. It's not only about having access to healthcare and education; it's also about having the self-assurance and knowledge to use those resources to transform her life. Giving women control over their bodies, emotions, and choices is what Her Voice means by empowerment. The goal is to empower women to take charge of their own well-being with dignity and purpose by transferring authority from institutions to individuals and fostering awareness, resilience, and self-belief.

2. How do you see Her Voice as being different from other women’s empowerment programs? What gap did you feel needed to be addressed?

Her Voice was inspired by my years of experience working in counseling and hospitals, where I observed that women's health issues frequently go well beyond medical care. Although many women recover physically, their general well-being is impacted by emotional or financial difficulties. The majority of empowerment initiatives concentrate on one area, such as awareness, livelihood, or health. They are all connected by her voice. In order to help women not only recover but also become stronger in all ways, we combine clinical care with emotional support, career training, and financial literacy. We sought to close the gap between transformation and treatment.

3. What are some of the most pressing women’s health challenges you see in India today, and how is Her Voice addressing them?

One of the most overlooked topics is mental health, particularly in relation to prenatal and postpartum wellbeing. Due to stigma or limited access to counseling, many women endure silent suffering. Another significant issue is menstrual health, especially in rural areas with low access to hygiene and awareness. Women are also more likely to have non-communicable diseases like diabetes and hypertension, which frequently go undiagnosed. Through counseling support, awareness workshops, education, and safe spaces for conversation, Her Voice works to close these gaps. In order to normalize discussions about taboo subjects and make information available to everyone, we also employ artistic mediums like street theater and storytelling.

4. How do you plan to reach women in underserved or rural communities who may not have easy access to healthcare and awareness resources?

We work closely with local communities, ASHA and Anganwadi workers, and NGOs to ensure our programs reach the grassroots. Our community workshops and mobile health initiatives are designed to meet women where they are, not just expect them to come to us. Partnerships with local organizations help adapt our modules to cultural realities, while our collaborations with Artemis Health Sciences Foundation bring medical and counseling expertise directly to underserved areas. The idea is to create a network of support that feels local, familiar, and accessible.

5. The initiative also focuses on financial literacy and vocational training. How do these areas tie into women’s health and autonomy?

Everything changes when you become economically independent. A woman can make decisions about her future, her family, and her health when she learns to earn, save, or manage her money. Her Voice assists women in transitioning from dependency to self-sufficiency by offering financial literacy workshops and vocational training. Emotional and physical health are directly impacted by this sense of control, which also strengthens a woman’s ability to make choices for herself, lowers stress, and supports the notion that empowerment is a comprehensive process. Health encompasses more than just medicine; it also involves opportunity, stability, and dignity.

6. How do you envision Her Voice evolving over the next five years? What does success look like for you?

Over the next five years, we want to deepen our impact at the community level while expanding to more regions. The strategy calls for expanding our financial literacy, mental health, and vocational programs, incorporating more digital tools for accessibility, and fortifying partnerships with civil society and government partners. For me, success will be measured by more than just numbers; it will be when more communities embrace open communication, more women feel comfortable speaking up, and the concept of women's health inherently encompasses emotional and financial well-being. Her Voice will have lived up to its name by then.

About Her Voice-

Her Voice is a movement dedicated to elevate and empower women to access vocational skills, build confidence, and stand on their own feet. It is not about breaking family hierarchies or creating conflict, but about building self-sufficiency, financial literacy, and personal growth so women can make informed choices for themselves and their families. Its work spans vocational training, confidence building, health awareness, stigma reduction, and domestic violence prevention. Together, these initiatives create a world where every woman’s voice is heard, her choices are respected, her talents are unlocked, and she can thrive.