Collective Footprints to End Violence Against Women and Girls in India

Violence against women is a global phenomenon and one of the most brutal consequences of the economic, social, political and cultural inequalities that exist between the sexes. In India it has been estimated that 1 woman is molested every 26 minutes and sexually harassed every 51 minutes. The recent G20 survey has ranked India as the worst place to be a woman. Female foeticide, domestic violence, sexual harassment and other forms of gender-based violence constitute the reality of most girls' and women's lives in India.

In the aftermath of the brutal gang rape of a 23 year old para medic student on a moving bus in Delhi on 16 December 2012, the country awoke to see scores of young people take to the streets in protests that were unique and spontaneous and which cut across caste, class, gender, and religion. The message was clear - acts of violence against women were unacceptable and were no longer going to be tolerated. The realization was also dawning that violence was no longer a 'woman's issue alone'; violence against women affects the lives of everyone and is one of the major obstacles towards the development and growth of individuals, families and societies. Passive acceptance and/or denial of the violence were not the solutions to this problem.

Significant was the voices of the youth – their long withheld silence was broken. No more were the youth willing to be silent spectators. They were vocal about their needs, and this time they were demanding answers. They demanded major changes to policies, systems and structures and they wanted to be part of this change. They wished to be part of the change on an issue which impacted their lives.

PRIA organized a roundtable in February 2013 to find ways in which collective action could be taken to address the growing incidences of violence against women in rapidly urbanizing India. It was strategized, in particular, that formal educational and public institutions have to be made more accountable in ensuring the safety of girls and women. Those instrumental in preventing violence against girls and women – government agencies, the police, legal aid cells, etc. – had to be energized and made accountable to their mandates and citizens in this regard. It was emphasized that the youth – boys and girls – need to be supported to lead the change.

In light of the above, PRIA has initiated from November 2013 a specific youth led campaign to address the growing incidences of violence against women, lacunae in the implementation of laws and policies, and the need for bringing about attitudinal changes at all levels of society.

The project intends to reach out to and influence the attitudes of all individuals directly linked to the everyday lives of young girls and women. These include parents, siblings, peers, teaching and non-teaching staff of educational institutes, persons who are related to delivery of services (public transport, shopkeepers, etc.), local elected leaders, citizen leaders and other members of the community. It aims to address those individuals who are or could be potential perpetrators of violence, within private as well as public spheres.

Update

As part of the Kadam Badao Campaign, PRIA has organized a two day workshop on Sex and Sexuality for the field animators of the project and PRIA staff on 27 and 28 February 2014. The Kadam Badao campaign works with the youth (both boys and girls) in Haryana to empower them to overcome the cycle of violence, in particular violence against women, that affects their lives. The participatory workshop will help animators build awareness on the linkage between sexuality and violence against women. Identifying the various forms of gender discrimination and understanding the concepts of sex and sexuality in the context of their respective social environments will help them gain insights on how it leads to violence in the lives of young girls and aged women. This consciousness is critical to furthering the reach and impact of the social change spearheaded through this campaign.

Objectives

• To support youth leadership in campaigning for addressing violence against women
• To promote institutional accountability of universities, colleges, schools, panchayats, municipalities and government offices in ensuring safety for women and girls
• To build a multi-stakeholder coalition which supports youth initiatives in this campaign

Geographical spread

Bhojipura block in Bareilly district, Uttar Pradesh and Sonipat district, Haryana.

Key areas/components

The primary social actors of this campaign will be high school and college students, both boys and girls. The underlying assumption is that this target group can be catalysts in bringing about attitudinal changes in the mindsets of families and individuals.

Other secondary social actors of this campaign will be civil society organizations, community based organizations, citizen groups/forums, senior citizens, social change actors/activists, youth leaders, academicians, local government leaders, government departments/agencies and the media.

Through the unique university- community engagement approach that this project will adopt, it has the potential of making its presence felt in the villages, and small and large towns in the identified areas. The project will also have direct access to the existing youth groups formed in the villages in the intervened areas.

The following unique features are integral to the project:

• Youth as change agents: The campaign envisions that the youth of the identified areas will take the lead in designing and implementing this campaign and act as catalysts and agents of change in their educational institutions, government agencies, local panchayats/municipalities, communities and families to end violence against women.
• Addressing both sexes: Inclusion of both men and women, boys and girls, is a core feature of the campaign in addressing the issue of gender-based violence. Sustained change on issues of gender only takes place when every individual, female and male, believes that they themselves are a part of the problem and therefore very much a part of the solution for change.
• Attitudinal change and personal responsibility: This campaign intends to heighten awareness and sensitivity on gender issues with a view to persuading every individual – boy or girl, man or woman – to take personal responsibility for actions and speak out against misogyny.
• Peer learning: Young people learn from their peers faster; youth from rural areas, urban centres and metro backgrounds in the district will be enabled to work together, to support each other's learning and actions.
• Accountability of educational institutions: An intrinsic feature of the campaign is to bring about changes within the structures, norms and policies of the participating educational institutions, especially in response to the suggestions of the youth themselves.
• Involvement of local governments: The success of this project is also dependent upon the participation and support of elected representatives from both panchayats and municipalities that commit to addressing these issues within their constituencies and in their own functioning.
• Demonstrate a model: This project is envisaged as a pilot to demonstrate the feasibility of this methodology; its lessons and challenges will be actively shared throughout the process to promote similar initiatives in other locations in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and beyond.

Key proposed outcomes

• Most educational institutions (including two universities) in both locations make necessary changes in ensuring safety of women and girls, including statutory requirements and suggestions made by youth
• Women and girls report an increase in their sense of safety and security in public spaces
• Men and young boys report a personal change in their behaviour towards girls and women
• Police, district officials, and leaders of panchayats and municipalities show positive response and sensitivity in dealing with reported cases of violence against women

Year/period : 18 months

Client name

Ford Foundation and Help Every Day, Denmark