16 Days of Activism launch event

On 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, EKTA launched its 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence campaign in Vilacherry, a panchayat outside of Madurai. It was a fantastic event that drew over 100 participants, who signed a pledge to end violence against women and listened to speakers such as
Nirmala Devi, Chairman, Tiruparankundram union, Akila Devi, Panchayat president, Vilacherry panchayat, and Mallika, Inspector, Tiruparankundram All Women’s Police Station, who informed women of their legal and human rights regarding gender-based violence. Following the speeches, Chairman Nirmala Devi helped send off EKTA's mobile van, which will tour nearby villages and distribute information on the 16 Days campaign, gender-based violence in the area, and women's rights until the end of the campaign on 10 December, Human Rights Day.

The event received excellent coverage in local newspapers. See The Hindu's article here.

 

#33Percent

One of EKTA's primary focuses is on increasing women's political participation. Thanks to the 33% reservation for women in local governance, we have been able to help scores of women contest in elections and become effective elected representatives for their communities. For the past 17 years, the Women's Reservation Bill has been pending in the lower house of the national parliament. This bill would create a 33% reservation for women representatives in both the Lok Sabha and in state assemblies, enabling women to overcome extreme structural obstacles to political participation.

EKTA is proud to be a part of the Centre for Social Research and WomenPowerConnect's #33Percent campaign to ensure the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill during the Winter Session of Parliament. To join us in this effort, sign the online petition calling for the Prime Minister of India to pass the bill in the Lok Sabha.

State level consultation on the implementation of laws to address gender-based violence

On July 26th and 27th EKTA hosted a state-level consultation on the implementation of laws to address gender-based violence.  A new national act to prevent violence against women -- the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 -- was signed into law this past April and, as is common knowledge in civil society, effective implementation of such laws is often a greater challenge than getting the laws written and signed in the first place.  This is clearly seen with the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, which, although passed in 2005, remains inadequately implemented throughout much of the country.  With this challenge in mind, EKTA organised this state-level consultation to address the specifics of these laws, discuss the existing challenges in implementation, and develop effective strategies for correcting these deficiencies. 

Held at the ICSA centre in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, participants at the consultation included civil society activists, academics, advocates (including one from the Madras High Court), and students. Upon reviewing the state's initiatives to address gender-based violence, it became very clear that there is a significant gap in the state's efforts to educate the public (and even its own judges and lawyers) on the legal and structural changes these laws bring. It was also clear that there is a real thirst for straightforward, applicable, and experience-based sharing of knowledge regarding the specifics of these acts and their practical implementation. Some of the strategies developed over the course of the two-day consultation include creating awareness on the provisions of these laws at all levels, demanding active participation of women's rights organizations in the various institutional mechanisms created by the acts, and strengthening or further defining the necessary procedures to hold the state and national governments accountable for adequate implementation and enforcement. 

A panel of speakers

 

Sumangali scheme

EKTA has been actively trying to promote a critical dialogue with stakeholders on the "Sumangali scheme" here in Tamil Nadu. As part of these efforts, last week we partnered with the Centre for Social Education and Development and held a two-day consultation to examine this issue with students, NSS volunteers, panchayat raj members, activists, and others. 

The sumangali scheme targets young girls predominately from vulnerable or marginalized communities to enter into contractual labour (usually in textile industries) for 3-5 years with the promise of a steady salary, room and board, and, at the end of this period, a lump sum of money to be used as dowry upon marriage. The scheme thus perpetuates dowry culture and all of its harmful consequences, such as domestic violence, daughter aversion/son preference, and the declining child sex ratio. Furthermore, these girls are usually subject to atrocious working conditions -- 12-hour-plus shifts six days a week, little safety awareness, physical/verbal/sexual abuse, to name a few -- and near complete control and isolation. This bonded labour jeopardizes girls' physical and mental health; suicides are not uncommon in these facilities, and neither are crippling injuries that will affect the girls for the rest of their lives. 

Although India has child labour (and dowry prevention) laws, sumangali schemes persist. Therefore, EKTA is calling for a further ban on employing children younger than 18 years in industries, as well as free and compulsory education for all children (the girls who take part in the sumangali schemes dropout and do not finish their education). In the day-long consultation at Hotel Supreme and the subsequent workshop at our centre in Kodimangalam, EKTA team members and partners developed action plans to prevent the perpetuation of this scheme and to design rescue, rehabilitation, and redressal efforts for victims.

Below are some pictures of the two-day event. The consultation also received coverage in The Hindu and Indian Express. Here is the link to the Hindu article: http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Madurai/sumangali-scheme-draws-flak/article4914353.ece

For gender equality

The Hindu recently published a fantastic article on EKTA's director, Ms Bimla Chandrasekar. Click on the link below to learn more about Ms Bimla's experiences, motivations, and goals towards achieving gender equality: http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/society/for-gender-equality/article4766059.ece

Child marriage programme

EKTA is currently developing a programme to combat child marriage in several districts of Tamil Nadu. This issue has been in the news a lot lately, here in Tamil Nadu and abroad as well, particularly in areas of conflict. The reasons perpetuating child marriage are many, and the harmful effects and consequences are widespread and long-lasting. Below are some statistics and stories from The Hindu to give some context to the issue. We will post updates on our specific programme as it develops. 

• More than 100 million girls in the developing world will be married during the next 10 years.
  
• Although the definition of child marriage includes boys, most children married under the age of 18 years are girls.
  
• While the practice has decreased globally over the last 30 years, it remains common in rural areas and among the poorest of the poor.
  
• In Southern Asia, 48%—nearly 10 million—of girls are married before the age of 18.
  
  
• In Africa, 42% of girls were married before turning 18.
  
• In Latin America and the Caribbean, 29% of girls are married by age 18.

Source

 Areas that experience high rates of child marriage are those with:

• High poverty rates, birth rates and death rates
• Greater incidence of conflict and civil strife
• Lower levels of overall development, including schooling, employment, health care

Consequences of child marriage:

• Large spousal age gaps
• Limited social support, due to social isolation
• Limited educational attainment and no schooling options
• Intense pressure to become pregnant
• Increased risk of maternal and infant mortality
• Increased vulnerability to HIV and other STIs
• Restricted social mobility/freedom of movement
• Little access to modern media (TV, radio, newspapers)
• Lack of skills to be viable to the labour market   

Source

The Hindu 1

The Hindu 2

The Hindu 3

Children's summer camp

EKTA recently hosted our annual children's camp in Kodimangalam. In the shade of coconut and mango trees, local children did yoga, played games, choreographed dances, and made up short skits with social justice-oriented messages (for example, one skit demonstrated the perils of child labour). 

Here are a few pictures from the summer camp: