Global Impact Accelerator – The Naga Women's Health Channel

The Naga Women’s Health Channel was a collaborative research and innovation project undertaken by the University of Edinburgh and The Highland Institute in 2021. Funded through the Scottish Funding Council's Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) Global Impact Accelerator programme, the project explored how digital technologies could support women’s health, wellbeing, and peer-to-peer support in rural Nagaland.

The project brought together researchers, community leaders, and young women through a series of participatory and co-design workshops to develop a prototype mobile application that would facilitate anonymous peer support and discussion around health-related issues. The initiative focused on creating a safe digital space where women could share experiences, seek support, and access information related to physical, mental, and social wellbeing.

Project Information

Project Lead: Dr Amrit Virk

Duration: February 2021 – December 2021

Funder: Scottish Funding Council (Global Challenges Research Fund)

Partner Institutions: University of Edinburgh, The Highland Institute

Status: Completed

Project Overview

The project sought to address barriers faced by women in accessing support networks and discussing sensitive health and social issues. Through participatory engagement with rural women and youth leaders, researchers worked collaboratively to design a digital platform tailored to local needs and contexts.

The research adopted a co-creation methodology, ensuring that women themselves played a central role in shaping the design, functionality, and priorities of the platform. Particular emphasis was placed on anonymity, accessibility, mental health support, and community-building.

Objectives

• Develop an online peer-support platform for women in Nagaland.
• Create a safe and anonymous digital space for discussing health and wellbeing.
• Facilitate community-based support networks among women.
• Promote awareness and discussion of physical and mental health issues.
• Explore participatory approaches to digital health innovation.

Research Themes

• Public Health
• Women's Health
• Mental Health
• Digital Innovation
• Community-Based Research
• Gender and Development
• Participatory Design

Activities

• Participatory workshops with women and youth leaders.
• Co-design and development of a prototype mobile application.
• Community consultations and user feedback sessions.
• Research on digital health needs and support networks.
• Capacity-building and stakeholder engagement activities.

Outcomes

The project resulted in the development of LUMI, a mobile application designed to provide an anonymous peer-support network for women aged 18–45 years in Nagaland. Named after the Khezha word for "women," the platform was designed to enable users to discuss personal challenges, seek emotional support, and build supportive online communities.

The application addresses issues such as domestic violence, health concerns, family and relationship challenges, and mental health. Given the social stigma surrounding mental health discussions in many communities, the platform sought to create a safe environment where women could openly share experiences and receive encouragement from peers. Anonymity and user protection were central design principles, ensuring privacy and preventing misuse of the platform.

The project demonstrated the potential of participatory digital innovation to strengthen community support systems and improve access to health-related information and peer networks among women in rural and underserved areas.

Research Team

• Dr Amrit Virk — Project Lead
• Rovithono Yhome — Research Assistant
• Thepfuchanuo Kire — Research Assistant
• Tshevepeu Venuh — Research Assistant
• Lecturers from Phek College — Project Collaborators

Partner Institutions

• University of Edinburgh
• The Highland Institute
• Phek College

Related Topics

• Women's Health
• Mental Health
• Digital Health
• Gender and Development
• Community-Based Research
• Nagaland