CHANDIGARH: With the slogan "aurtein uthi nahi to zulm badta jayega" in mind, various organizations and NGOs with baby steps are making small but impact change in patriarchal Haryana and aiming to create revolution in state which is popular for highest gang rapes in the region . They are aiming to shift cultural norms of the society. Some are working at micro level seeking to bring about change in behavior pattern of school going children and making them aware about gender sensitization and other related issues.
Some are acting as pressure groups. Some are directly involved with the victims and survivors on ground level and helping them get justice by providing legal aid and other help.
Breakthrough
"Jyada padh ke kya karna hai Rotiyan hi to sekni hein","Kaun sa inhe DC lagna hai", "Jyada mat Padhao - Haath se nikal jayegi", "Chulha Chouka Hi to Karna hai", "Ladki Ki Kamaai Khaane wale Namard hote hein". This is with these discriminatory statement that how most of adolescent girls are being socialized. Breakthrough NGO is addressing aspiration level and barriers in the communities which limits aspirations of girls. Breakthrough India, NGO, has been working for over six years in Haryana with different stakeholders to address issues of Gender-based sex selection, domestic violence sexual harassment, adolescent empowerment and early marriage and is reaching out to government officials, frontline health workers, youth in colleges and schools, while mobilizing public support for the cause at state and district level. Breakthrough India is working at three levels i.e., school, community and university level.
At school level they have penetration in 150 Govt. and Pvt. Schools and with PRIs, women groups, youth at community across four districts Panipat, Sonipat, Rohtak and Jhajjar, Karnal, Gurgram of Haryana with adolescent students on Gender Based Discrimination to address declining child sex ratio. They have enrolled 15000 school students and with research based module at Community level, they are capping people from age 19 till 25 whereby various issues like women, safety security, mobilization are being discussed. They also include Panchayat and other members of community to talk about various issues in open. Then at university and college level, they are organizing workshops and other events. They are taking use of Community Mobilization that use various interactive tools like Video and street Play to educate the masses about the nuances of gender based discrimination and how it leads to gender biased message to the public about; Aspiration of Girls and importance of girl child in families and Society. Anurag from Breakthrough shared that, "we are basically talking about shifting of cultural norms in the society and we are witnessing change as well."
He further shared that with various campaigns launched by them, one biggest impact that they have witnessed is that negotiation skills of girls have enhanced, they have started negotiating on issues like going to college from school and university from college. Also there has been a change in behavior pattern of boys as they have also started sharing responsibility of household chores. Boys have started taking about rights of their sisters in family.
All India Dalit Mahila Adhikar Manch
All India Dalit Mahila Adhikar Manch has been working in various districts of Haryana and have been helping put survivors of various crimes like rape, sexual harassment, domestic violence, atrocities against dalits etc. They have been providing legal aid and helping them get justice. Also they have been organizing various seminars for spreading awareness regarding legal rights of downtrodden. They have volunteers over all districts in Haryana and whenever any case is registered whereby Dalit is involved; their team not only gets involved in fact finding report on individual basis but also provide all kind of help to victim, survivor and their family. In many cases, FIRs have been registered due to their efforts.
Haryana Coordinator, Mohini shared that the official data regarding crime against Dalit women is underestimated and there has been mismatch between the figures and reality. Many time police even did not register the FIR and even if FIR is registered, much of time is consumed in addition of relevant sections under charges of rape, gang rape, POCSO Act and SC Act. Mohini also shared that district legal service authority also provides free legal counsel to all rape survivors but in reality the rape survivors are engaging their private advocates as the application to provide free legal aid does not get disposed off on time and hence rape survivors especially dalit rape survivors found it more difficult to seek justice as many of them are economically very weak and live hand to mouth.
All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) or Akhil Bhartiya Janwadi Mahila Samiti
This organisation is working for empowerment and uplift of women. They actually work like pressure group. They have volunteers in all over state and they have been providing all kind of help to women who have been victimized and work closely with rape survivors and make efforts to rehabilitate and normalise their life.
Speaking to TOI, state Secretary of Akhil Bhartiya Janwadi Mahila Samiti Savita Savita, State secretary mentioned that the status of women in society in Haryana is second class and hence incidents of rapes are considered very normal. This is the reason that the society of Haryana is accused sensitive and not victim sensitive.
The victim is always targeted and considered wrong. Counselling is there in law but in actual counseling is given to those victims whose cases get highlighted and in other cases, no one seems to care. Elaborating that how is life after rape for survivor in Haryana, Savita stated that in many cases the victim is pressurized and also in many cases she is not financially independent which is leading to victim turning hostile in many cases following which the accused are getting acquitted. Many factors come to play in story that how the rape survivor fights for getting justice. We are making small efforts survivors get justice."
Team Lado Impact
Within short span of time Team lado, has made its presence felt in 28 villages of Bibipur, Gurugram and Mewat and expanding its activities in other village as well. Team Lado is dealing with various women issues by empowering women and also involving authorities. TOI met various members of Team Lado who shared their experience and their journey towards change
Team Lado is brain child of Selfie with daughter Foundation which has initiated strategy for the empowerment and awareness amongst women. As per this Outreach Programme, any girl studying in class 8 and above can become part of Team Lado. After tying up with various schools at villages of Haryana, lectures creating awareness of women rights is delivered and then these interested girls/women constitute a team with the name "Team Lado" for each village. This Team Lado from the village is doing various tasks like providing trainings on Women Rights. Most importantly this team then aware 5 more women from their village.
Team Lado has also been feeding the phone numbers of Deputy Commissioner and Police Superintendent of their respective district in the mobile devices of 10 women from the village so that in case of emergency these affected women can directly inform and approach the higher authorities. This team Lado is also providing information to Police Superintendent and the nearest police station in case of any discrimination or incidence of Domestic violence against Women in the village.This Team Lado is also motivating and mobilizing the villagers to put the name plates with the names of the daughter in front of their homes to provide respect to their girl child. In the long run, this step shall be a symbolic attempt towards the objective of propagating Women Property Rights in the District. Chairman of Selfie with Daughter foundation, Sunil Jaglan said, "Girls should fight their own battle. Country has got the independence 70 years ago but till the time women will not come upfront and fight for their rights, they will never get complete freedom. Women need to rise up against the atrocities." He also shared that team Lado make women aware of their rights and give them counseling how to fight or pursue their matter on their own. He shared that we just give them support and make sure that all the work is done by them so that they independent and confident.
In one of village of Mewat, Rajni (name changed) decided to break the routine of getting beaten up every day and raised her voice against daily domestic violence. She took up the matter with village Panchayat and later the Panchayat not only dressed down her husband but also in-laws who had been mere mute spectator to this and also gave final warning to them before reporting the matter to the police. This incident not only gave confidence to Rajni but also boosted morale of other so many "Rajnis" of the village who also raised their voice and spoke against Domestic violence in public. This change did not come suddenly. Rajni's younger sister in law had become member of team Lado in school and she infect had made Rajni aware that she should not remain quiet and raise voice against this or even her daughter will have to bear this. Resultantly Rajni took initiative and hence changed happened not only her home but also in whole village. Now all these ladies are part of team lado.
In another village of Rohtak, Harshita (name changed) was pursuing her PHD but she was fed up with her Guide who used to message her at odd hours and then these messages took shape of "Sexting" which she could not tolerate and hence she gave compliant to the police and the guide was booked by police. Harshita now is a part of team Lado and also helping many girls who were becoming victims of this kind of situation.
In yet another Village of Mewat, two sisters got married in same family .Later the husbands and in-laws started harassing them .They were forcing them to leave the house but were not willing to give back the dowry money and other things. When both of the sisters came in contact with Team lado, they were first made aware of their legal rights and were counseled for taking appropriate action. They were also told to do everything on their own only then they would get the confidence. So from writing a formal complaint to police, to meeting lawyer to filing divorce case in court and pursing their matter, they are doing it on their own. Now the respective husbands are arrested by police and divorce court hearing is underway .One of the girl has started her studies again. The changes are not only seen at level of dealing with social issues. In Farukh Nagar Block of Gurugram, girls were facing problems as far as education was concerned. There was no good quality of books in Central library. Neha from The Team lado wrote to the administration following which the administration issued 72 lakh budget for the central library so that new books could be added to the library.
