This project was undertaken in the run up to the Rajasthan panchayat elections held in late 2009 and early 2010. It aimed to increase awareness among candidates and communities on the key gender discriminatory practices prevalent in the state, i.e., sex selection, child marriage, dowry and violence against women, and to enhance their skills to address these issues in their constituencies.
Objectives
- To increase awareness among candidates and the community on the key gender discriminatory practices prevalent in the state, i.e., sex selection, child marriage, dowry and violence against women, and to enhance their skills to address these issues in their constituencies.
- To make special efforts to encourage candidates to take up these gender issues and make them part of their election manifestoes.
- To document, on the basis of reports civil society organisations, the process of campaign and vulnerabilities of women while contesting elections. The document formed the basis of a policy document to help interface with the State Election Commission (SEC).
Geographical spread
All districts of Rajasthan
Key areas/components
- Awareness building on gender issues of multiple stakeholders through use of media, communication, written posters, pamphlets, and folk media.
- Intensive gender orientation of women elected representatives to help them fully understand relevance and consequences of sex selection, child marriage, dowry and all forms of violence against women. A concrete action plan followed from these orientation programmes, which were then taken up by these elected representatives. These plans and the candidates were then showcased as role models for the other women of the community.
- Intensive gender orientation of male elected representatives (as well as other men in communities) on the same issues. Case studies on male role models were developed.
- Intensive gender orientation of government officials on these issues.
Outcomes
- Training of volunteers from civil society organisations
- Platform of civil society organisations was created to run the campaign in the state
- Intensive campaign in 1107 gram panchayats
- Extensive campaign in 5175 gram panchayats
Year/Period : 2009 – 2010
Client
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), New Delhi
