+GENDER AT WORK: A GLIMPSE INTO THE INDIA PROGRAM 27th June 2012

+GENDER AT WORK

G@W is a collective working to strengthen organizations in order to build cultures of equality and social justice.

Aims to advance gender equality by supporting social-change organizations to change their structures, processes, and programs

+ GENDER AT WORK

Registered as a non-profit organization in 2003, presence in India since 2008.

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SSK

AMIED

DOOSRA DASHAK

SAATH

THE ANT

DSS

YUVA GRAM

SAVARAJ

MJAS NRESWN

GVMLOK SAMITI

PARMARTH

ECONET

VANANAGA

G@W-INDIA PARTNERS 2009 onwards

+GENDER AT WORK: ACTION LEARNING PROCESS

Collaborated with 20 PARTNERS, across India all participating in ACTION LEARNING PROCESSES to bring about a change in their structures, processes and or programs, aiming to lessen gender discrimination therein (2004- 2011)

+CHANGE PROJECTS AT A GLANCE: PROGRAMME GRAM VIKAS (2004-2005): To form men’s groups in selected villages to

specifically address issues of violence against women: not only by direct intervention but also by sensitizing the male youth to the issue

CHILDREN’S PARLIAMENT (2008-09): To instill among members of Children’s Parliament an understanding on gender equality, specially around education of girl children. Gender Minister/Ministry formation to ensure issues of discrimination highlighted and addressed.

DOOSRA DASHAK (2010-11): Form a gender training team within the organisaiton with the skills and ability to conduct gender trainings at the community level as well as at the level of the organisations staff (over 300 staff members)

SAATH (2010-11): To assess and improve the impact of micro finance support and services to its 12000 members in order to change/improve the status of beneficiary women at the individual, family as well as at the level of society.

+CHANGE PROJECTS AT A GLANCE: ORGANISATIONAL

DAPU (2004-2005): Building women’s leadership in a dalit union in Andhra Pradesh To engender the leadership of DAPU at the Block and District level. They had one woman heading their District-level operations (of 20 District Coordinators) and no women at the level of State organizational leadership/management.  HUL (2008-09): To embed the principles of gender equality within HUL so that gender consciousness seeps into the structure, programs, work ethics and culture of HUL, a newly formed/nascent organization.  The ANT (2010-11): To develop a deep rooted and dynamic gender policy to promote gender balance within the Ant’s staff and in its programmes. GRAM VIKAS KENDRA (2010-11): To bring about a change in the existing inequality within the organisation(gender related) to be done by building the understanding of GVM’s Board, core team, putting a gender policy in place and developing a five-year strategic plan on gender in the organisation.  SAVARAJ (2010-11): To build the second line of leadership in the organisation which is based on a model of collective leadership.

+CHANGE PROJECTS AT A GLANCE: COMBINED

UDAAN (2008-09): To understand the change that has occurred since the inception of the organization: internally within the organization as well as at the individual level (amongst staff but also amidst the team and teachers). Also to reflect the change at the community level (school) in terms of the VALUES promoted by the organisation and its practices. AMIED (1010-11) : To amend the organization’s staff policy to ensure a greater number of Muslim women join the organization (even though their beneficiaries were muslims, representation of muslim women on staff was minimal . To increase the participation of Muslim women in the community based School Management Committee (SMC) mandated by a recent Government Law. MAHILA JAN ADHIKAR SAMITI (2010-11): To put in place a systematic staff policy which reflect the feminist principles and values of MJAS without compromising totally on the flexible nature. To document the history of the organisation in a manner which tells its story from the point of view of the many women and their myriad perspectives that have shaped this unique women’s collective.

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+GENDER AT WORK: DALIT WOMEN AND LIVELIHOODS

Partnering with 4 organisations from UTTAR PRADESH on an intensive programme on Dalit women and livelihood.

Collaborating with 2 organisations from Andhra Pradesh on the project.

+RATIONALE FOR PROJECT

Political Rights: Dalit

Social Rights: Women

Economic Rights: Right to Work

All three dimentions could be explored in the context of NREGA

+NATIONAL RURAL EMPLOYMENT GURANTEE ACT (NREGA)

BRIEF HISTORY

The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act was enacted in 2005 after a long struggle by trade unions, worker’s movements, women’s organizations, civil society groups and was supported by left parties.

FEATURES:

100 days of work

Unemployment benefits

33% reservation for women

Equal wages for men and women

+PROGRAM DESIGN and EVOLUTION OF THE PROCESS

Started where organisations/community were at

Built on existing strengths

Inception Meeting in March ‘10: Lead + Colead + Resource Team

Partners Meeting for both States in May 10

Definition of log frame parameters

State-wise program management

G@W playing consolidation role