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Aastha Parivaar provides a common platform to all types of sex workers (SWs) in Mumbai and Thane to address their common issues and needs such as health, human rights, crisis intervention, legal literacy, literacy, and support for their children.

Aastha Parivaar is an organisation of, for, and by SWs. It is based on the eventual empowerment of the SWs so that they may move on to a life where they need not be dependent on any external agency for help with their affairs. Aastha Parivaar is a registered federated body of 13 Community Based Organisations (CBOs) under the Aastha Project.  Aastha encourages community members to come together to form Self-Help Groups (SHGs) or Aastha Gats, at the site level. The leaders of these groups elect the 25-member Governing Body and 7-member Managing Committee of the CBO.

Their key programmes are:

• HIV Interventions: Aastha continues its HIV targeted intervention work with residential bar-based population. Through these interventions, they increase awareness of HIV transmission, prevention, protection, treatment and care, as well as shift high risk behavioural patterns using behavioural change communication. They provide financial support to select individuals living with HIV at each of the CBOs and also facilitate advocacy meetings and crisis management workshops to provide a healthy environment for the affected people.
• Increasing Opportunities: Through their CBOs, Aastha works to increase the capacities of community members. With income generation activities such as making and selling chocolate, umbrella painting, shoes decoration, packing and presentation, and bottle painting; as well as training in mehendi, tailoring and beautician services, they offer alternative livelihood possibilities to SWs and their children. They also support the education of select children at each CBO.
• Stakeholder Advocacy: The NGO has strengthened and increased advocacy work with various stakeholders in the community including brothel managers, gurus in the transgender community, and the police. The CBOs conduct police sensitization workshops and also liaise with banks for easy bank account openings and attend regular government meetings to keep abreast of developments.
• Outreach through Health Services: CBOs provide various health services benefitting both, CBO members and non-members. These include general health camps, nutritional camps, and vitamin distribution camps.