jharkhand state

7/30/2019 Jharkhand State

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In Jharkhand Panchayat elections has been held after 32 yrs and also this is first

election after the formation of Jharkhand state. While in other parts of the country many

times similar process of Panchayat election has been carried out.

One of major achievement of this election in Jharkhand was for the first time 50% seat

has been won by women elected representatives due to 50% reservations. But not

much has been done to build the capacity of these women to deliver their role and

responsibility efficiently. Strengthening the capacity of these newly elected Panchayat

representatives becomes crucial task to support these women to understand and fulfil

the roles and responsibilities expected of them. The best part is many leaders who have

contested the PRI elections have either won or lost with narrow margin, have been

members of these institutions and played critical role within these institutions. Jumav

Manch (a state wide network of NGOs working on the issue of gender) has been

working with socially excluded groups like SC, ST, minorities etc where they formed

various institutions like Pressure Group and Women Resource Group during their

previous engagement with Oxfam project on Addressing issues around Violence Again

Women.

The projects aims to empower these women representatives and also the otherinterested women from socially excluded groups (SC, ST, Muslims) to enable them to

understand their roles and responsibities; analyse social issues confronting them and

participate in the decision making process effectively. This would ensure that socially,

economically and politically marginalized women issues are mainstreamed and they are

encouraged to challenge the stereotypes and have confidence to be able to ensure their

worth at family, society and political field. Thus stereotypes and gender roles be

challenged and they be treated as equal citizens.

About the Project:

Since PRI elections in the state is a long awaited demand fulfilling the aspirations of

local self-governance and voice of the people to take decisions in the political

empowerment Political empowerment process through this project would attempt in

supplementing and strengthening the processes and mechanism to address the issues


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pertaining to roles and responsibilities and cater to the local capacity needs of the

women who have won the election. It would also emphasise on working with the

counterpart of these women and the community as a whole on generating awareness

around the issues of women political empowerment and build understanding on the

importance of women political empowerment.

The State government is also serious about the capacity building of downtrodden and

weaker groups through various means. The project would attempt to reap out these

opportunities to build upon to achieve its larger goal around women political

empowerment. Hence advocacy initiatives would be planned at all levels to right from

community to state to advocate on the issues and engage with Government to build

appropriate linkages al all levels.

MMS is implementing this project in partnership with other 21 local NGOs networked

as Jumav Manch (a state wide network) in Jharkhand. The network has its

presence in all the 24 districts of the state and all the 22 local NGOs are working

together as one platform to take up the issues at larger level.

Given this backdrop, Jumav Manch believes that empowerment of women in Political

realm will further support these women in positioning themselves as key stakeholders in

the local politics. There is a need to work around capacity building initiatives by

providing additional training and increasing networking amongst women's organizations

in order to empower women to have a voice, secure their place in decision making

positions, and increase the quality of their participation in social and political life.

The overall Goal of the project is to empower women leaders to exercise their rights in

decision making processes and increase the quality of their participation in social and

political life. The specific objectives of the project are as follows -


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1. To encourage, orient and train elected representatives in 44 Gram Panchayats of 22

blocks in 15 districts of Jharkhand on PRI/PESA enabling them to promote womens

role in all tiers of PRI

2. To sensitize and mobilize village leaders, counterparts of women Elected

Representatives and community members, particularly women for proper

implementation of PRI/PESA in 15 districts

3. To initiate advocacy campaign at different levels panchayat, block, district and state to

enhance womens participation in panchayats

Results to be achieved -

Increased knowledge and awareness among elected representatives and other

stakeholders on PRI/PESA Act and womens role in political processes.

Increased knowledge and awareness among block level government officials on gender

issues and womens role in political processes.

Increased womens participation in planning and implementation of different

programmes at panchayat level.

Increased support from male counterparts of women elected representatives in

discharging their role as community leaders.

Communities are able to take benefit from the various government schemes and

programs.

Village plans are developed according to the needs of women in the community.

Prior Achievements:

Jumav Manch (a state wide network) in Jharkhand has its presence in all the 24

districts of the state and all the 22 local NGOs are working together as one platform to

take up the issues at larger level. It has been instrumental in implementing Oxfam

supported programme on Ending Violence against Women (EVAW) for almost a decade

and has strong base in all its working areas in Jharkhand. The community based

institutions created under these projects have been able to play critical role in

generating awareness and addressing VAW issues among the community and

effectively taking up the issue at different levels. In the wake of the panchayat election

with 50% reservation for women, the members of these institutions took lead to contest

elections and most of them won the elections. Their engagement with the project over


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these years has enabled them to raise issues related to womens empowerment in

different forums effectively. With its work around these institutions, the Network has

been able to create its own niche in the state and known for its work around gender

issues. Over these years they have been also able to develop good working relationship

with relevant Government departments and other agencies working on gender issues

within and outside the state of Jharkhand.

jharkhand state

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