Category: Latest News

Lalita Panicker, HT

Gram sakhis and women’s forums in Kishangarh, Ajmer are promoting helpline numbers to deal with violence against women, covering 33 villages in the district.

Violence against women thrives where a combination of factors ranging from isolation, shame and patriarchy combine to ensure a culture of silence. Change can be effected when women come together to put up a joint front. A perfect example is the coming together of gram sakhis and women’s forums in Kishangarh, Ajmer, promoting helpline numbers to deal with violence. These agents of social change are undaunted by the patriarchal environment they live in, now covering 33 villages in the district.

In a remarkable effort, they have formed survivor support groups, trained themselves to be paralegal volunteers, and are tirelessly working to raise awareness about violence against women. Each gram sakhi is responsible for one gram panchayat with a know-how of legally and socially addressing the issue of violence, empowering those who have suffered and holding the perpetrators accountable.

Saraswati, a gram sakhi from Roopangarh, is also a suraksha sakhi (protection buddy), designated by the Roopangarh police station. She says, “I was able to gain knowledge on laws and redressal mechanisms, which gave me the confidence and motivation to spread awareness in my village. Now, I am sharing information on helplines and providing self-defence training to school-going girls.”

These women feel that despite comprehensive laws to protect women, many still face violence. One reason is the lack of knowledge of the available redressal mechanisms. “We have launched an intensified door-to-door awareness campaign to inform women about the helpline for violence against women. This helpline serves as a crucial resource for women who may be experiencing violence or abuse. By spreading the word about this valuable tool, we hope to empower women,’’ says Sakina, member of the women’s forum and a survivor of violence from Chundari village. “We were unaware of any mechanisms to lodge a complaint or reach out at the time of need or in trouble, and if we are told verbally, we forget the numbers. But now that they are pasted on the walls of our houses, it is easy to remember,” says Lali Rao, a Scheduled Caste woman from Roopangarh.

To its credit, the government has established various resource centres to provide justice to women, such as the district legal services authority, one-stop sakhi centres, women’s safety centres, and the state women’s commission. However, these can only be effective if the women are aware and have access to appropriate mechanisms.

Are the women worried about a backlash? Not at all, is their resounding answer. The women’s group was set up to create a narrative around preventing violence against women. This group has taken up the responsibility to educate every woman in the village about the legal framework and helplines established by the government. They are diligently going door-to-door and putting up posters outside each house that contain vital information regarding all available services, including helpline numbers that can be utilised in the event of any violence against women. This group hopes to empower women to seek support through the helplines in case of violence against them or their female peers. It’s a commendable effort to create a safer and more informed community.

The campaign, which has been jointly mounted by the district legal services authority, department of women and child development, one-stop crisis centres, gram panchayat, and suraksha sakhi groups with support from the Centre for Advocacy and Research in Kishangarh, has reached 3,210 households. If this becomes a movement, as it should, the message will go out that there really is strength in numbers and in creating wider ownership both within the government as well as in civil society.

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The story of Gopi Devi etches out clearly the challenges that disabled personsface.In this case a disabled person is a woman, who experienced four-fold barriers of gender, disability, poverty,and last but not the least low educational attainment and skill. In the context of the pandemic, these challenges became even more life threatening. However,it is at this stage that the Water for Women Project played a very important role. Not only did Gopi get the unflinching support of the Community Management Committee (CMC) and the project team but also a platform to speak up and reach out to and sensitise many key stakeholders and leverage the much-needed opportunity to ensure that the WASH system commits itself to disability inclusion in ways that has never happened before. It is in this context that this case study based on Gopi’s testimony assumes significance.

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This case study must be viewed in the context of informal settlements or slums in the city of Jaipur. These habitats are densely populated and have areasoften at the rear end or in designated blocks where marginal communities such as transgender, persons with disabilities, SC, ST, OBCs, minorities and tribal reside.In these settlements, the Slum Development Committee (SDC), which comprises men and local leaders who act as gatekeepers often in active collaboration with political leaders cater largely to the needs and priorities of the more influential section. They pay no attention to the needs of women, girls and other vulnerable groups. But soon the situation changed.

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The Centre for Advocacy and Research (CFAR), Bhubaneswar, observed International Women’s Day on March 8, 2019, by celebrating the achievements of women champions who have brought significant changes in their own lives, their family and the community, by establishing and promoting gender justice norms in their action. Speaking about this Jyoshna Sahoo, CFAR stated “Women’s day should not be celebrated only for one day rather it’s a process of everyday life. The day is celebrated to acknowledge the achievements of women in different spectrum i.e. social, economic, political etc. but it only can be achieved if we consider them as equal. And equality does not come suddenly, it’s a life cycle approach. Each person has a role to play to bring equality in society and it starts from our family. for example; if we brought up our children with equal knowledge, work division and  behavior then probably down the year they behave respecting to each other Gender balance can only come once we promote equality and men need to be involved in this process”.

At an event organized at Buddha Temple where more than 150 women and men participated, women from the community shared their heroic acts of breaking away from the bondage of inequitable traditions.

One woman of the community said she is taking care of her old parents abandoned by her brother, while another said she is creating awareness about sex determination and elimination of the girl child. Many said they raised their voice against violence against woman and some others said they fought for their right to property. “After going through a torturous phase in my married life, I broke all ties and am now staying with my parents and working for the development of the community,” said Manjulata Dalei, a community worker.

As this year’s theme of International Women’s Day was #BalanceForBetter; all participants spoke on a case in point that brings balance in the society and promotes equality between men and women. Mihir Mohanty, Program Manager, Swabhiman, said: “The hearing and visually impaired women cannot voice their opinion against domestic violence and they become a victim of sexual harassment too. We need to create awareness among people about the equal rights of women with disabilities.”

Speaking on the occasion, Snehanjali Mohanty, Member, State Commission for Women said: “Both men and women are important in a balanced society. Respect for each other needs to be encouraged and propagated so that our next generation learns from us.”

“Equal work division needs to be promoted and the practice of work division at home based on the gender of the child has to be stopped by parents,” said Pramod Ku. Prusty, Deputy Commissioner BMC. Speaking on the same lines social activists Sri Som also said that the work division between men and women based on the stereotyped gender roles should be condemned. He said the government is also taking various initiatives to bring women into mainstream and priority is being given to women beneficiaries in ration card, gas connection, IHHL subsidy, to cite a few.

Goutam Arya Bhusan of Taru Leading Age said: Each day should be celebrated as Women’s Day. “Women have the courage, patience and the capability of doing everything.” Rajalaxmi Dash, Member, Child Welfare Committee also had a similar view and said the process of strengthening women’s voice should continue and it should not be a one-day event. 

Meera Parida, President, Sakha; Bharati Chakra, State Head, HelpAge India; Usha Rani Behera of Bharatiya Gyana Vigyana Samiti (BJVS); and Debasmita Pattanayak of Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) were also present on the occasion.