The project aimed to support elected members of selected village councils in Haryana and Uttarakhand States - especially women - , to fulfill their roles: planning and implementing village public works and their maintenance; local social and welfare activities; and contributing to community harmony and social justice. The findings from the baseline survey were considered for inclusion in the project plans to ensure that the reasons preventing women village council members executing their functions were addressed. The integration of both elected council members and Self-Help Group members into a single target group enhanced the project's focus on social and developmental community issues. The project achieved its long-term objective to increase the participation of women in local decision-making processes. Elected council members confirmed that they understood their rights and obligations to contribute to the improvement of local democracy. Anecdotal evidence suggests that women were empowered and that they have begun to intervene openly and more frequently during village council meetings.