Khushee-Mamta

A lay-counsellor delivered treatment for perinatal depression in rural Rajasthan, India

Overview

Khushee Mamta (Happy Motherhood") is delivered through a task-sharing model that trains women from local communities to serve as lay counsellors. These counsellors provide structured, evidence-based mental health support to women experiencing depression, anxiety, exposure to violence, and suicidal distress — often through regular home visits that overcome barriers of distance, cost, and stigma. The core objective of Khushee Mamta is:

To ensure that women who would otherwise have no access to mental health professionals receive timely, culturally grounded care during pregnancy and after childbirth.
At the same time, the programme intentionally creates meaningful economic and social opportunities for local women, many of whom have no prior formal training in mental health. Through training, supervision, and peer support, counsellors gain skills, income, and recognition within their communities, strengthening both individual livelihoods and local capacity for care.

Rationale

In India, an estimated 48.5% of perinatal women suffer from depression (much higher than in more developed countries), 35% of women experience intimate partner violence, and suicide is now recognized as the leading cause of death among women of childbearing age (15-29). Further, Indian women experience among the worst gender inequality in the world.8 In other words, these intersecting issues affect the lives of hundreds of millions of women in India and yet are neglected in terms of investment, policies, and effective programmes.