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About Nari Samata Manch
In India, women’s movement gained momentum after the declaration of International Women’s Year in 1975. 1975-84 was declared as International Women’s Decade. It was the same period when most cities in India, witnessed public protests against dowry deaths, which received wide media coverage. It came to be accepted nationally and internationally that dowry death or bride burning was unique form of violence experienced by Indian Women, more specifically by Hindu women. In 1982, in the city of Pune, two incidents of unnatural deaths had happened; Manjushree Sarda and Shaila Latkar. It was realized that violence against women was universal and it happened in well educated, middle and upper middle class urban homes. Many organizations in Pune city came together to protest against these incidents. Infact this gave the impetus for the formation of Nari Samata Manch (NSM).
Since then, NSM is actively working on the issues, which are manifestations of the subordination of women. NSM perceives violence against women as a social mechanism of male domination and subjection of women, which results in physical, sexual and psychological harm. Over the period, we have witnessed forms of violence undergoing changes such as increasing sexual abuse and violence out of non-acceptance of ‘friendship’ or ‘love’ offered in young age. However, despite the isolated and organized efforts to deal with the issue of violence against women, this still remains to be the major area of concern.
NSM has always felt the need to work at two levels. At micro levels, by establishing the centers, which will offer counseling and other supportive services to protect, rehabilitate and empower the victims of violence. At macro level to create more awareness in society towards increasing intolerance of violence against women. Since 1983 NSM has been working on this issue.
It is important to us to say clearly, as how do we see ‘empowerment of women’. We are secular organization, believe in spirit of democracy. Women's position today is secondary not only in our country but all over the world. Simplistic answers like giving everything to people and even more to women is not our idea of liberation if we seek more humane, child friendly, eco-friendly and secular, peaceful society.
Women who work for basic livelihood of family should be more decisive in their role and men should look at family more nurturing way without patriarchal authority. We reject any development that denies participation of women and other marginal people in society. It is said that development that is not engendered is totally endangered. Hence we welcome Panchayat-Raj bill, although one would want few more rights to Gramsabha.
Counseling centre of NSM has been major thrust of our work since its inception. When we began in 1983, there was not a place for women to vent out. Therefore we started Speak-out centre that provided a space for women to express and share their experiences. We adopted the method of Consciousness Raising (CR), which is a major contribution of western feminists. Gradually we realized the need to go beyond ‘speak out’ and to work for provision of legal aid to battered women. This realization gave impetus to our Counseling Centre. Since it's beginning, NSM activists run Counseling Centre voluntarily. For first few years, NSM was nurtured by its members. It was not possible to run the Centre for full time voluntarily. So also women who were thrown out from their homes had a big question, ‘where to go?’ Therefore we felt a need to start a short-stay home for women. Accordingly we decided to start a shelter home of NSM. That was the first time we sought funding.
The help provided at NSM counseling centre, has three major dimensions:
1. At times it is a ‘Crises Intervention Centre’ where focus is on solving or making alternatives available for immediate crisis. It may involve rescuing her from the in-laws’ family or offering her shelter.
2. Second aspect is of legal help or providing security by liasoning with the police department.
3. Third most important aspect is counseling which is gender-sensitive.
Although NSM began its work focusing Gender and violence as key issues, our understanding developed further. Our work started spreading in rural areas near Pune and our vision also touched developmental issues.
In Maval tehsil, our work began as a collaborator of Janakidevi Bajaj Trust. Our job was mainly of gender sensitization of the staff and organizing local women mainly for the drinking water facilities. This was in 1994. Today NSM on its own has projects in Maval villages as well as tribal villages of Ambegaon tehsil.
Our work in rural area is focusing on community health issues (herbal medicines, forests and their diversities) sanitation facilities (soak pits, toilets etc) and water and health connections, Panchayat Raj training for women representatives and self help groups. The activity of the self-help group will now culminate in the formation of Credit Bank of local women.
Thus we have been working with rural women for long time and understand their work, work related difficulties, and cultural inhibitions they face from household, community, caste base and finer nuances of power play of patriarchy.
Years together NSM is deeply involved in consciousness raising of society in general through campaigns, lectures, conferences etc. Soon we realized that focus of gender sensitization should be more on youth, decision makers and social workers. Hence we organize workshops for college students, rural youth, women and adolescent girls. We hold workshops for social workers working in NGOs not only in Pune but also all over Maharashtra.
At the moment, we are working on four interrelated projects.
1. Aaple Ghar (short stay home for destitute women - supported by HIVOS). Women who are thrown out from their homes face the problem of shelter. To support such women this home provides a temporary shelter and tries to make them economically independent so that they can live firmly. If needed counseling and medical services are provided. Since 1993, we are running this short stay home in Pune and 325 women and 162 children had sought benefit of it.
2. Sakhya (Combating Violence Against Women - supported by The Ford Foundation) Consciousness raising on the issue of violence against women is the major objective of the project. At present focus of our work is on sexual harassment at workplace. We have launched a campaign to raise awareness with respect to Supreme Court guidelines for the prevention of sexual harassment at workplace. We are working with ten NGOs in Maharashtra on this issue. This work includes training of our Partner NGOs.
3. Mahila Netritva Vikas Prakalp (Leadership building program for Women - supported by Swiss Aid and CEVA) In forty villages of Maval tehsil this project is going on. Self Help groups (micro-credit groups) is the major activity in this project. Saving amounts are used as loan or seed capital for small business. Major component of this project is dialogue with young women and men. Every month, workshops are arranged for them on different issues such as adolescence, menstruation, sexuality, gender bias and so on.
4. Youth For Change - This project is going on two levels urban and tribal. On the issue of sexuality, we conduct workshops for college students mainly. Sexuality is treated as a taboo topic and young people do not have space to ventilate, ask their questions. This medium gives them opportunity to open up and so also to introspect.
In tribal area we are trying to work on different issues such as Panchayat Raj, village development and livelihood farming. We involve in Panchayat raj training for women. We are trying to work in different tribal villages in Ambegaon tehsil with the view of development. We are also trying for experimentation in agriculture in a sense to have more production in limited area, which should take care of nutritional needs.
5. Stregthening of Katkari Shramik Sanghatana – Katkari is one of the primitive and endangered tribes. Strengthening of Katkari Shramik sanstha is major focus of this project. Leadership development program for katkari youth is another area.
6. Gender Study: (Maharashtra Government and World Bank) Preparatory study for rural water supply and sanitation project. On the basis of the study of women’s needs and expectations as primary stakeholders, recommendations were given for the policy.
7. Apale Pani: (Maharashtra government and KFW) NSM is selected for the implementation of water supply and sanitation projects in the selected villages of Pune district.
Involvement of NGOs is mainly to mobilize processes with respect to participation of all sections of community in development of village.
Our history of running projects for so many years has equipped us with logistical needs and related facilities like software and data processing support, office staff, library etc. We provide consultancy on ‘Gender’.
8. 'Grih Sevika 'training programme.
We try to train skilled help for senior citizens. It is an effort to suport
the senior citizens in running their households and enjoy the comfort ofhuman company even when one is not ill or ailing. We include three majorfocal subjects.
1. Understanding the aged and services for their needs,
2. Becoming a skilled helper in Home Management food and nutrition
3. Developing a professional attitude towards housework and home care for theold /ageing members
The curriculum includes basics of each discipline withnecessary modifications to suit the age group 65+. The attitudinal traininginvolves awareness of one's attitudes, realizing the changes needed to be professional helper and developing the habit of self-improvement.
Nari Samata Manch
473,Sadashiv Peth,Savali,Pantancha Got,
Pune 411030. Maharashtra, India.
Phone: 020 2449 46 52 / 2447 3116
Email: nsm@pn3.vsnl.net.in, n_s_m@vsnl.com
Reg. No. F/4402, FCRA No. 083930242
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