‘UN Women’, a wing of the United Nations for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, every year calls for a widespread campaign of 16 Days Activism against Gender-Based Violence the world over, from 25 November, (the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women), to 10 December, (Human Rights Day).This Campaign is opportune time to galvanize action to put all efforts towards ending violence against women and girls around the world. DSS takes up this 16 days’ activism seriously and conducts sensitization campaigns in the villages and urban centres. During this year DSShas organised the 16 days’ activism on various themes to sensitize against violence on women and girl children. To commemorate the international event, the 11th Annual District Conferences of DSS were held on various themes pertaining to the campaign. The curtain-raiser event was organized on 25th November at Hyderabad, followed by the districts up to 12th December. Pictorial posters related to violence, discrimination of dalit children in education institutions, discrimination of dalit women in NREGA works were designed specifically and displayed during these conferences.
End Violence on Dalit Women:Campaign was startedwith a conference on 25th November 2016 at SundaraiahVignanaKendram, Hyderabad on Ending Violence on Dalit Women. Chief Functionaries of various women organizations, selected women collective leaders of DSS from both the states, academicians, advocates etc. participated
in the conference to air their views on the subject. The conference was presided over by Jhansi Geddam- National Convener and the other dignitaries on the dais were GDV Prakash, National Program Manager; Prof.Pushpa Chakrapani, Prof.Sudharani, Girija – Gender Consultant; Sumitra - Ankuram, Sajaya - CCC, Asha Latha - MAKAM, Vimala – Writer, Satyavathi - Bhomika, Devi – Activist, Aruna – Senior Journalist, Sudhakar – Advocate of High Court and others.
Gist of the observations ofthe speakers may be summed up as below:
in the conference to air their views on the subject. The conference was presided over by Jhansi Geddam- National Convener and the other dignitaries on the dais were GDV Prakash, National Program Manager; Prof.Pushpa Chakrapani, Prof.Sudharani, Girija – Gender Consultant; Sumitra - Ankuram, Sajaya - CCC, Asha Latha - MAKAM, Vimala – Writer, Satyavathi - Bhomika, Devi – Activist, Aruna – Senior Journalist, Sudhakar – Advocate of High Court and others.
Gist of the observations ofthe speakers may be summed up as below:
·The hypocrisy and duplicity in what is professed and what is practicedin the society is one of the main reasons for violence.
· The patriarchal mind set and lack of gender perspective is causing domestic violence and it is rampant on dalit women.
·More awareness needs to be created to the non-dalit men on SC, ST (PoA) Act and to the Dalit men on Domestic Violence Act.
·More resources need to be allocated for the implementation of these special Acts. At present, in most of the countries, only about 10% budget allocations are made towards women welfare and empowerment, creating resources crunch. This pitiful situation should be reversed and more funds need to be allocated for the towards women empowerment. Organizations working on women issues should be funded and strengthened.
·Strong networks of like-minded organizations have to be formed to wage a collective and concerted struggle to protect and promote the rights of women and girl children.
·DSS has very good documentation skills and it is appreciable that they follow up the cases till judgement, often raise their voice from various fora, organize Round Table Conferences and Public Hearings.
·We are living in a society where the physically & socio-economically strong gender is committing violence on the weak.
·We need to identify the root causes and eradicate them to stop violence.
·Lack of basic requirements such as food, shelter, education to the children and denial of basic amenities should also be treated as violence.
·Various forms of violence apart from the physical violence need to be identified and denial of resources has to be considered as a form violence.
·The impact of globalization and privatization as accelerating factors of violence should be recognized and its effects have to be reversed.
·All the participants have pledged to take forward the campaign through various platforms and continue to work collectively and synergise the efforts for eradication of violence.
Violence against Dalit Women – Implementation of the Laws: The District Conference was organised on 29th November 2016 at Conference Hall, SC Corporation Guntur. The conference was presided over by GDV Prakash, National Program Manager and the Chief Guest was Jhansi Geddam- National Convener, other dignitaries on the dais were, Vijaya Kumari – District Coordinator of DSS, Krupa Rao - Social Welfare Department, Vijaya Laxmi - Women and Child Welfare Department, Surya Kasinath- District Industries Department. The women collective leaders of DSS from various places of the district have participated in hundreds.The speakers said that there are many laws including the special laws for the protection of dalit women and girl children, whereas ineffective implementation by the duty bearers as well as lack of voices is leading to intolerable violence against dalit women. More awareness on the laws needs to be created by the government like the pulse polio program and it needs to ensure the proper implementation of the Acts and take stringent action against wilful negligence of duty.
Economic empowerment of dalit women will change their life style and embolden themto raise their voices against violence and all sorts of injustice.The gender discriminative stereo types of socialization practices in the family is one of the root
causes for violence, where the boy child is socialized into a male chauvinistic person and girls are treated as inferiorcitizens. Hence the girl children need to be encouraged and given more opportunities from the primary stage in education, health and employment. The economic development programs need to be implemented with commitment. The concerned government departments need to shoulder the responsibility. Given the opportunity, many women have excelled in various aspects in the society and it is necessary to give them more space and opportunities and they will do wonders.Dalit women have to make optimum utilization of the available avenues, improve their skills to better their lives. Therefore, the dalit women need to be empowered with all sorts of skills to mainstream them in socio, economic and political fields.
Dalit Youth – Education and Employment: The District Conference was organised on 2nd December 2016 at Conference Hall, Market Yard, Chevella of Ranga Reddy District.The conference was presided over by Baghya Laxmi – State Coordinator
causes for violence, where the boy child is socialized into a male chauvinistic person and girls are treated as inferiorcitizens. Hence the girl children need to be encouraged and given more opportunities from the primary stage in education, health and employment. The economic development programs need to be implemented with commitment. The concerned government departments need to shoulder the responsibility. Given the opportunity, many women have excelled in various aspects in the society and it is necessary to give them more space and opportunities and they will do wonders.Dalit women have to make optimum utilization of the available avenues, improve their skills to better their lives. Therefore, the dalit women need to be empowered with all sorts of skills to mainstream them in socio, economic and political fields.
Dalit Youth – Education and Employment: The District Conference was organised on 2nd December 2016 at Conference Hall, Market Yard, Chevella of Ranga Reddy District. The conference was presided over by Baghya Laxmi – State Coordinator of Telangana State and the Chief Guest was Jhansi Geddam- National Convener and the other dignitaries on the dais were GDV Prakash, National Program Manager;Sri Hameed –DRDA;Sri Vijaya Laxmi Chairperson of Market Yard; Narasimha - Advocate and leaders of Students Organizations. The women collective leaders of DSS from various places of the district have participated.Jhansi narrated how the caste and class discrimination,apart fromilliteracy have been perpetuating poverty among the dalit women. Due to lack of qualitative education, dalits are unable to capture good positions of employment thereby loosing good status in the society. The way, the Government is running anganwadi centers, government schools and social welfare hostels is pathetic. Despite of the legal provisions and Acts for free and compulsory education, dalit children are denied qualitative childhood and education. As the parents are also illiterates, they are unable to guide their children. Consequently, dalit students are remaining unemployed and are forced to go for daily wage labor work.
Prakash - Program Manager of DSS said that, the society and government are conceptualized the term ‘employment for dalits’to be synonymous as‘daily wage labour’. The Acts, schemes and entitlements meant for dalits are not being implemented properly. Though the government has announced good amount of subsidies, the schemes are becoming useless due to the denial of banks in giving loans.
Hameed from DRDA said that, they are conducting trainings for dalits on employability skills. For instance, every training program would constitute 35% dalits and 15% minorities. The trained youth are placed into jobs according to their skills. Dalit youth has talent but lack background and support. Hence, government is striving in all possible ways to provide support to them.
Dalits – Economic System: The district conference was organised on 6thDecember 2016 at press club of Vijayawada, Krishna District. The conference was presided over by GDV Prakash, National Program Manager and the Chief Guest was Jhansi Geddam- National Convener and other dignitaries on the dais were Sri Samuel John, Sri Venkat Rao – Addl Director of DIC and Venu IPOfrom District Industries Department, Sri Rajamani from DICCI. The women collective leaders of DSS from various places of the district have participated.
Jhansi exhorted dalit women to strive towards economic empowerment so that they can struggle for equality, liberty, and live in a society free from violence.If government really wants to bring in a change in the lives of dalit women, it should encourage their participation in all aspects.
No country in the world has given equal economic opportunity to women till date.If budget is allocated and implemented properly from the primary stages for education, health and employment opportunities, a visible difference can be achieved.Progress in social and political systems happens only when dalit women become partners in the economic system, which is also essential to eliminate violence against women.The budget was never allocated in a gender equality perspective.Government should work with honesty in terms of creating equal economic opportunities to women according to Ambedkar’s ideology.
The speakers said that, economic empowerment is the first step towards achieving equality. There is no implementation of women related Acts and Special Acts. Though there are rural development departments and “Velugu” projects working for women, the results are not encouraging. Even the special Act like SCSP/TSP is also a mirage to dalit women below poverty line. This Act is limited to 10 years, and even after 3 years of the enforcement of this Act, the results are at zero level. Venkat Rao said that, there are a number of schemes for the development of dalits and have to be utilized. Dalits would gain success only if they have complete understanding on the selected project. He said that the dalit and adivasi women have good subsidies and difference in their lives is possible only when they become business women and strengthen economically. He guaranteed complete cooperation from their department.
Venu explained on the present schemes, the opportunities and subsidies to establish them. Rajamani spoke on the services rendered by DICCI including capacity building programs, project preparation, negotiating with banks and market linkages etc… Kote Prakash Kumar, presented vote of thanks.
Dalit Women – Political System: The district conference was organised on 10thDecember 2016 at Officers Club, Collectorate, Kakinada, East Godavari District.The conference was presided over by Rajamani – State Coordinator of Andhra Pradesh and the Chief guest was
Jhansi Geddam- National Convener and other dignitaries on the dais were Sri GDV Prakash – Program Manager of DSS, Sri PandulaRavendraBabu – Member of Parliament, Sri Venkateswararao – DSP, Sri
Muralidhar – DSP of Women Cell, Suseela and Kamala – State Women Collective leaders and women collective leaders of DSS from various places of the district have participated. The speakers have said thatthe history says dalit women are the most powerful and independent. Their advent and active participation in politics is the only way to change the present system. This has to be a collective effort.
Jhansi Geddam said that, the social, economic and political systems are stinking with casteism.DSS is striving towards establishing a caste-free society according to Ambedkar’s ideology.The present politics are caste based and are ruled by dominant castes.Though East Godavari is a prosperous district, almost all the land is in the hands of few dominant caste land lords while dalits are landless.It is the people’s representatives who have to raise their voice for the distribution of land.This can only be done by a change in the political power.The present pattern of political power can be changed only when SC, ST, BC and minorities
collectively strive for it. Though dalits are elected under reservation, they are not able to take independent decisions due to caste domination. Dalit and adivasi women should move ahead and participate in politics. The active and effective participation of dalit & Adivasi women in politics brings in equality and equity of caste, class and gender.
Dalit Students – Educational System: The district conference was organised on 10thDecember 2016 at Jabilli Conference Hall, Eluru of West Godavari District.The conference was presided over by GDV Prakash – Program Manager of DSS and the Chief guest was Jhansi Geddam-
National Convener and other dignitaries on the dais were SriBethalaSudarshan - Ambedkarite, Venkat – President of
ErukulaHakkulaSangham, Syam from Ambedkar Association, women collective leaders of DSS from various places of the district have participated. The speakers pointed out the lapses in the present education system, its impact on the dalit students and the reluctance of the government in setting right the things.
They have described about the ideal educational system and the implementation of common school system to better the lives of dalit youth and help them to come on to the mainstream.
Dalit Women – Economic Empowerment: The district conference was organised on 12thDecember 2016 at Press club, Visakha District.The conference was presided over by GDV Prakash – National Program Manager of DSS and the Chief Guest was Jhansi Geddam- National Convener and other dignitaries on the dais were Sri Kaki
dignitaries on the dais were Sri Kaki Prasad – AP State Secretary of DICCI, Rajamani, Baghya Laxmi and Vijayakumari – Coordinators of DSS.Women collective leaders of DSS from various places of the district have participated. The speakers said that, without economic empowerment, equality cannot be gained. Dalit women were never dependent and have always been earning their livelihood.This is high time that they enter the arena of business and capture power over economic system.In the 3 years of implementation of SCSP/TSP Act, crores of budgetshavebeen allocated to binamis and as a result there is no change in the lives of dalits. The banks are not co - operating the dalit and adivasi women who are entitled to 45% subsidies due to this Act.The speakers explained on the opportunities and subsidies from the industries department, banks, etc.Prasad, representative of DICCI said that dalit women are experts in maintaining houses, hence if they start ‘House Keeping Firms’, and get contracts from large companies, they would succeed. He also said that anything done at
home is a family affair and when it is done outside the house is business. Therefore, we all need shift our thinking and become entrepreneurs by utilizing the opportunities.