The Constitution of India guarantees equality of opportunity to all its citizens; yet, historical discriminations against communities, especially women, Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes, people with different abilities, religious minorities, etc. have continued in independent India. These processes of marginalisation and exclusion have prompted innumerable government schemes and programmes for the socio-economic advancement of these communities. As it began to become clear to planners and political leaders that members of excluded communities were still unable to claim their rights and continued to be discriminated against, statutory commissions were set up at the national and state levels to protect these communities. While a large number of such commissions have been established, they have not been able to accomplish their mandates to any meaningful extent, are generally inactive and ineffective, and awareness of and comfort in approaching them by members of excluded communities (and women in particular) is minimal. There is an urgent need to make administration 'citizen-centric' and these institutions more 'vibrant, responsive and accountable'.
PRIA under the Poorest Area Civil Society (PACS) programme has initiated a study to assess the functioning of five institutions - Scheduled Caste Commission, Scheduled Tribe Commission, Women's Commission, Minority Commission and Office of the Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities - and their effectiveness in empowering communities in 'claiming their rights' and the institution's 'responsiveness and accountability' in delivering the same. The study was conducted in the seven states where the PACS programme is operational (Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal).
Project UpdatesObjectives
The overall goal of the study was to identify and analyse the institutions with a view to making them responsive and accountable to safeguard the socio-economic rights of excluded and marginalised communities. Specifically, the objectives of the study were:
Geographical spread
The study was conducted in the seven states where the PACS programme is operational (Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal).
Key components
The study was conducted in four stages with specific outputs at each stage. A wide range of participatory research methods which generate quantitative and qualitative data from primary and secondary sources were used to secure critical reflections of the members of marginalised communities and officials of these institutions.
Key outputs
Year/period
10 Months (January 2013 to November 2013)
Client
Christian Aid (under the PACS programme supported by Department of International Development [DFID], UK)
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