1. Augmenting gender equity in local Self Governance (LSG) through transformative women leadership

The overall goal of the project was to go deeper and wider, to strengthen women’s capacities and enhance their participation through informed governance, especially of those belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs), so as to promote gender equity in LSG.  This was a three year project which commenced in April 2008 and concluded in 2011. The project targeted Elected Women Representatives (EWRs), Ex-EWRs, prospective Women candidates, Gram Sabha and members of women Self-Help Groups (SHGs). The geographical coverage of the project constituted Uttarkashi, Bageshwar and Tehri Districts of Uttarakhand.

The other district chosen i.e. Uttarkashi has a tough terrain. This in itself coupled with inadequate road and transport network which make many parts of the district inaccessible. The district has the largest number of EWRs and two panchayats are exclusively women Panchayats. Apart from the above-mentioned indicators, in both the districts the dominate majority of the people belonging to SC, OBCs and other different religions have a magnanimous influence in the socio-political milieu of this region. The communities also stand a strongly defined based on the stringent caste system and an all encompassing, rigid patriarchal structure. Over the past decades though women have gained an entry into the political domain, their existence remains that of titular representatives with male members of their family wielding the power on their behalf. Therefore, an emergent need was felt to support and strengthen women capacities in order to create competent leaders.

Objectives of the project were to 

  • Empower women especially the marginalized SC/STs and OBCs so that they can voice their concerns, define the development agenda for their Panchayats, conceive the larger role that they can play as agents of social change through various intensive training sessions, awareness campaigns and advocacy initiatives like the Open Forum.
  • Reach out to the Gram Sabha and sensitize them towards their rights and responsibilities as citizens.
  • Bring about gender equity in governance and empower EWRs to partake in LSG.
  • Lobby and advocate to –
  • Ensure voice of the hitherto, marginalized section of women, especially those belonging to SC, ST must be heard.
  • Determine that grass-root issues get adequate representation and reach the policy makers so as to further formulate policies based on the felt needs of the representatives.
  • Build networks among EWRs so as to de-concentrate government and pass decision making powers to the stakeholders at all the three tiers.
  • Ascertain that the devolution of the 29 departments to the Panchayats takes place for effective functioning of governance.
  • Strive for the realization of the vision of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment.

2. Women’s Empowerment Programme supported by the Haryana, WAKF Board

Self-Help Groups (SHG) have emerged in order to help the rural poor, particular women in securing inputs like credit and other services. Its lays the foundation for self reliance through the building up of an institution which has the capacity to sustain the development and empowerment process for women.

Decentralization of the authority so as to ensure redistribution of wealth, easy access to education not just as a constitutional right but as a reality and also other social facilities. To make our society free from gender biased approach, decentralization of power is necessary. Formation of SHG’s is not an end instead after the formation the real challenge starts  and it is to be treated as the means to facilitate the process of bringing positive change in the society.

The formation of common-interest groups consisting primarily of women has had a substantial impact on their lives. The impact of SHGs on women’s empowerment and social security has been invariably an improvement from the status quo but there is a need for support in several areas which are analyzed in this report. The status of women has generally improved as they have developed stronger confidence which has changed gender dynamics and their role in the household. In south India, significant improvements in fertility rates, female literacy, participation in development program and economic independence are evident. Women are able to fight for their rights and entitlements and have emerged as a force to be reckoned with. Further, SHGs are becoming more than just financial intermediaries, instead they have emerged into a more political and social unit of society.

In this backdrop PRAGATI implemented “Women’s Empowerment Programme in Yamuna Nagar District. The project is designed to focus on the Empowerment of the Muslim Women through Self Help Groups, and mobilize women to take part in the income generation activities and thus make them strong enough to solve the local social issues.

Overall Objectives of the Project

  • To mobilize the communities to promote cohesion & organize them into Self Help Group’s for encouraging savings.
  • To ensure that all groups formed meet regularly for thrift and savings and initiate Income Generation Activities (IGAs) and addressing other social community issues.
  • To provide training to members regarding SHG, rules & regulations and Record- keeping  along with money management and to create leadership for resolving  conflicts.
  • To promote effective linkages and interaction between SHG’s, Panchayat and other committees
  • To promote networking between SHG’s through cluster associations.
  • To arrange for necessary skills training pertaining to specific IGA’s.
  • To develop marketing strategy for selected IGA’s, link with existing market outlets and facilitating SHG member’s participation.
  • To conduct Rapid Market Appraisal, assist in pricing/costing of products etc. for IGA’s proposed by SHG’s, with the aim to screen out non- feasible IGA’s and lead the IGA’s into identification of feasible IGA’s.
  • To identify the link workers in selected villages who can be instrumental in supporting SHGs and their IG activities.
  • To perform task as required by the local situation for the development of SHG’s and cluster associations, promotion of social/ community action and start / development of SHG’s and cluster associations. And thus promotion of social/ community action and start up development of IGA’s.

3. A Research Study on ‘Decentralization in India’

PRAGATI successfully conducted a research in collaboration with Dr. Tanya Jakimow from (University of New South Wales Australia) titled ‘Decentralization in India and Indonesia’, (ARC DECRA grant DE130100468). Between May 2015 and 2017 the research project was conducted with PRAGATI and it examined the experiences of women ward members in Dehradun. The team interviewed 30 Parshads (out of a total of 60), 19 of whom were women, 12 government officials and three MLAs. Of the 30 Parshads interviewed, ten profiles with women were constructed, formally interviewing each woman at least five times, discussing various aspects of their experiences as ward members in the context of their broader life biographies. The team also met with them several times on an impromptu basis, for example at protest rallies, and while undertaking the day to day work at the Nagar Nigam. Among the key findings of this research project was the current unmet need and demand for capacity building for women ward members.

The primary research finding was that women are potentially important actors in Dehradun’s urban governance, but this potential is not being met due-

  • The failure to transfer powers, functions and most critically funds to the ward level;
  • Lack of adequate support both financial and in terms of capacity building, and;
  • Gender related institutional constraints.

A workshop was conducted post visit with a participation of as many as 29 ward members along with 29 other women from their respective wards on imparting skills required by them in June, 2016. The workshop was based on the findings of the research about the experiences of women ward members in Dehradun. Useful information was shared with the women ward members using innovative tools. Subject experts and trainers answered the queries of the participants.  In the first session information was shared on gender equality in urban governance and then it dwelled into the research findings.

 

4. Leadership Trainings under “Nai Roshni” Scheme of Ministry of Minority Affairs, Govt. of India

For women empowerment, Ministry of Minority Affairs Government of India started “Nai Roshni”, a Leadership Development Programme for Minority Women in 2012-13. PRAGATI acted as a resource agency in this programme. The objective of the scheme is to empower and instill confidence among minority women, including their neighbours from other communities living in the same village/locality, by providing knowledge, tools and techniques for interacting with Government systems, banks and other institutions at all levels.

The effort would embolden minority women to move out of the confines of their home and community and assume leadership roles and assert their rights, collectively or individually, in accessing services, facilities, skills, and opportunities besides claiming their due share of development benefits of the Government for improving their lives and living conditions.

Objective

The objective of the scheme is to empower and grow confidence among minority women, including their neighbours from other communities living in the same village/locality, by providing knowledge, tools and techniques for interacting with Government systems, banks and other institutions at all levels. Besides this, other motto of this scheme is the empowerment of women from the minority communities and emboldening them to move out of the confines of their home and community and assume leadership roles and assert their rights, collectively or individually, in accessing services, facilities, skills, and opportunities besides claiming their due share of development benefits of the Government for improving their lives and living conditions. Modules like Leadership of women, Educational Programmes, Health and Hygiene, Swachch Bharat, Financial Literacy, Life Skills, Legal Rights of Women, Digital Literacy and Advocacy for Social and behavioural change were taken up in the study.

Positive fallouts of the trainings –

Women coming out of their houses to attend the training programme, is an achievement in itself.

 

 Despite opposition from the males in the family there was an overwhelming participation of women in the intervention. The mindset with which they had come was somewhat changed after the completion of the training.

 
Women felt aware of their rights and entitlements. Post-training, a lot of women expressed their desire to contest in the forthcoming panchayat elections Women have realized their potential of working as pressure groups to combat social evils and provide a voice to women’s hopes and aspirations at the decision making level. Women are keen to take the project further because they have faced injustices and exclusion from decision-making processes.

 
Women have been informing the team that they have already started taking up issues and have decided to work in close coordination with Panchayats/local level groups/ government functionaries.