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).
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:
To understand the legislative mandate, structure, composition, modes of functioning and delivery of institutions in each of the seven states.
To assess the awareness levels and practical experiences of members of socially excluded communities towards these institutions in each of the seven states.
To arrive at a set of recommendations for advocacy and dissemination efforts to make these institutions ‘vibrant, responsive and accountable’.
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).
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.
Preliminary study reports of 35 institutions from seven states
In-depth study of the functioning of two institutions per state
State level consultations to share the draft findings to incorporate suggestions into the final reports
Five national reports (one each for each type of institution)
10 Months (January 2013 to November 2013)
Christian Aid (under the PACS programme supported by Department of International Development [DFID], UK)